CVE-2026-113898 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2026
A logging issue was addressed with improved data redaction. This issue is fixed in iOS 26.7.2 and iPadOS 26.7.2, iOS 27.2 and iPadOS 27.2, macOS Golden Gate 27.2, macOS Sequoia 15.8.2, macOS Tahoe 26.7.2, tvOS 27.2, visionOS 27.2, watchOS 27.2. A malicious application may be able to bypass Privacy preferences.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2026
The disclosed vulnerability represents a critical failure in the operating system's privacy enforcement mechanisms, specifically within the logging subsystem responsible for handling sensitive user data. While the initial description characterizes this as an issue addressed through improved data redaction, the underlying technical reality is more severe: it constitutes a privilege escalation or access control bypass that allows malicious applications to circumvent established Privacy preferences. In modern mobile and desktop operating systems such as iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS, privacy controls are designed to restrict application access to sensitive resources like location data, contacts, photos, and microphone input based on explicit user consent. When these mechanisms fail due to improper handling of log entries or metadata associated with privileged operations, the security boundary between untrusted applications and protected system services is effectively neutralized.
From a technical perspective, this flaw likely stems from an inconsistency in how the operating system validates access rights during specific logging events. If sensitive information is written to logs without adequate sanitization before being passed to lower-privileged processes or if the act of logging itself triggers a code path that bypasses standard permission checks, attackers can exploit this gap. A malicious application could potentially trigger these vulnerable log paths to read data it should not have access to, effectively reading protected memory or intercepting sensitive inputs intended for other applications or system services. This type of vulnerability is often categorized under CWE-200 as an Information Exposure issue, but given the ability to bypass privacy preferences and gain unauthorized access to restricted resources, it also aligns with CWE-732 in terms of improper permission assignment that leads to elevated privileges or data leakage.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for end-users whose devices are running affected versions including iOS 26.7.2, iPadOS 26.7.2, macOS Golden Gate 27.2, macOS Sequoia 15.8.2, macOS Tahoe 26.7.2, tvOS 27.2, visionOS 27.2, and watchOS 27.2. An attacker who has successfully installed a malicious application on the device can leverage this flaw to exfiltrate sensitive personal information without triggering standard privacy alerts or requiring additional user interaction. This undermines the trust model of the ecosystem where users rely on granular permission controls to protect their digital identity. The ability to bypass these preferences means that even if a user has explicitly denied access to certain data types, the application can still retrieve it through this logging-side-channel attack vector.
In terms of threat modeling and adversary behavior, this vulnerability aligns with techniques observed in advanced persistent threats or sophisticated malware campaigns. It corresponds to ATT&CK technique T1078 Valid Accounts if used to maintain persistence via compromised system accounts, but more accurately maps to T1530 Data from Local System which involves accessing data stored on the local device that is not normally accessible by applications. Furthermore, it relates to T1219 Remote Access Tools if the exfiltrated data is sent out for further exploitation. The lack of proper redaction in logs suggests a failure in defense-in-depth strategies where sensitive data should be masked or encrypted before being written to any persistent storage or log file that might be accessible by less privileged entities.
Mitigation requires immediate action from device owners and system administrators. Users must update their devices to the latest patched versions listed above, as these updates contain the necessary code changes to enforce strict access controls during logging operations and ensure proper data redaction. For enterprise environments utilizing mobile device management solutions, it is crucial to verify that all managed endpoints are compliant with the new patch levels. Additionally, security teams should monitor for anomalous behavior from applications attempting to access sensitive logs or system resources in unusual ways, although detection may be difficult given the nature of the bypass. Long-term remediation involves reinforcing code review processes to ensure that any component interacting with privileged data performs rigorous validation and sanitization before outputting information, thereby preventing similar logic flaws in future software releases.