CVE-2026-113940 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2026
An out-of-bounds read was addressed with improved bounds checking. This issue is fixed in macOS Golden Gate 27.2. An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/26/2026
The vulnerability described involves an out-of-bounds read condition within the operating system, specifically affecting versions of macOS prior to Golden Gate 27.2. This type of flaw typically arises when a software component accesses memory locations that lie outside the intended buffer or data structure boundaries. In this instance, the issue was addressed through improved bounds checking mechanisms, which ensure that any access to memory is validated against predefined limits before execution proceeds. The absence of such checks in earlier versions allowed for unauthorized reads from protected or uninitialized memory regions, potentially exposing sensitive system information or causing instability within the application environment.
From a technical perspective, out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities are classified under CWE-125: Out-of-bounds Read according to the Common Weakness Enumeration standard. This category of weaknesses occurs when software reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer. The primary risk associated with this flaw is the potential for information disclosure, where an attacker could extract confidential data such as cryptographic keys, session tokens, or other sensitive memory contents that were not meant to be accessible by unprivileged processes. Additionally, depending on how the read operation interacts with subsequent code execution paths, it may lead to unpredictable behavior, including crashes or denial of service conditions if critical system components are affected.
The operational impact of this vulnerability centers around the ability of a malicious application to trigger unexpected system termination. By exploiting the lack of proper bounds verification, an app can cause the operating system or specific services to crash unexpectedly. This results in a Denial of Service scenario where legitimate users experience interruptions in service availability. While the primary description highlights system termination rather than remote code execution, out-of-bounds reads are often precursors to more severe exploits if combined with other vulnerabilities such as type confusion or heap corruption. Therefore, even though the immediate effect is instability, the underlying memory safety issue represents a significant security risk that warrants prompt remediation.
In terms of threat modeling and adversary behavior, this vulnerability aligns with techniques observed in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to Discovery and Impact. Attackers may leverage such flaws during post-exploitation phases to gather intelligence about the target environment or to disrupt operations by causing service outages. The exploitation vector likely involves local access, meaning an attacker would need some level of initial foothold on the system, such as through a compromised application or user-level execution privileges. This context underscores the importance of defense-in-depth strategies that include strict sandboxing and privilege separation to limit the blast radius of any single vulnerability.
To mitigate this risk, users are advised to update their systems to macOS Golden Gate 27.2 or later versions where the improved bounds checking has been implemented. Regular patch management is critical in addressing memory safety issues like out-of-bounds reads, as these vulnerabilities often stem from low-level programming errors that require vendor-side fixes rather than configuration changes alone. Furthermore, organizations should enforce application whitelisting and restrict execution permissions to minimize the attack surface available to potential exploiters. Monitoring system logs for unusual termination events can also aid in detecting attempts to leverage this vulnerability before significant damage occurs. By maintaining up-to-date software environments and adhering to secure coding practices that emphasize memory safety, entities can significantly reduce their exposure to such critical infrastructure vulnerabilities.