CVE-2026-116259 in libimobiledevice
Summary
by MITRE • 10/26/2026
A security flaw has been discovered in libimobiledevice up to 1.4.0. This vulnerability affects the function afc_get_device_info_key of the file src/afc.c of the component Device Info Handler. Performing a manipulation of the argument Value results in memory corruption. The attack requires a local approach. The exploit has been released to the public and may be used for attacks. The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/26/2026
The vulnerability identified in libimobiledevice versions up to 1.4.0 represents a critical memory safety issue within the Device Info Handler component, specifically located in the afc_get_device_info_key function found in src/afc.c. This library serves as a cross-platform open-source protocol library that enables communication between Linux and Windows hosts and Apple iOS devices via USB or TCP/IP connections. The core technical flaw stems from improper handling of input arguments passed to this specific function, where manipulation of the Value argument leads directly to memory corruption. In C-based libraries like libimobiledevice, such errors typically manifest as buffer overflows, use-after-free conditions, or integer overflow issues that result in writing data beyond allocated memory boundaries. This type of flaw compromises the integrity of the application's memory space and can lead to unpredictable behavior, including crashes, data leakage, or potentially arbitrary code execution depending on how the corrupted memory is subsequently utilized by the host system.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-120 Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input and CWE-787 Out-of-bounds Write, which are among the most dangerous classes of software defects due to their potential for remote or local code execution. The attack vector is classified as local, meaning an attacker must have some form of access to the system running libimobiledevice to exploit this flaw. This typically implies physical proximity if the device connects via USB, or network access if TCP/IP mode is enabled and accessible from a compromised host on the same network segment. Although the requirement for local access limits the blast radius compared to remote code execution vulnerabilities, it remains highly significant in scenarios where untrusted devices are connected to sensitive workstations or servers that process mobile device data. The existence of public exploit code further elevates the risk profile, as it lowers the barrier to entry for attackers who may not possess advanced reverse engineering skills but can leverage existing tools to trigger the memory corruption.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial for organizations and individuals relying on libimobiledevice for mobile device management, forensic analysis, or data synchronization. Successful exploitation could allow a malicious actor connected via USB to crash the host application, leading to denial of service conditions that disrupt workflows involving iOS devices. More critically, if the memory corruption allows for control flow hijacking, an attacker could execute arbitrary commands on the host system with the privileges of the user running libimobiledevice. This poses severe risks in professional environments where forensic tools or management suites run with elevated permissions to access device contents. The lack of response from the vendor since early disclosure indicates a potential gap in their security patching cycle, leaving users exposed until they manually apply mitigations or upgrade to patched versions once released.
To mitigate this risk, immediate actions should focus on version control and input validation practices if custom builds are maintained. Users currently running libimobiledevice 1.4.0 or earlier must prioritize upgrading to the latest stable release where this issue has been addressed by correcting the argument handling logic in src/afc.c. For environments that cannot immediately upgrade, restricting USB device access through operating system-level controls such as udev rules on Linux can prevent unauthorized devices from establishing connections with libimobiledevice-based applications. Additionally, running these services under restricted user accounts with minimal privileges reduces the potential impact of any successful exploitation attempt by limiting the scope of actions an attacker can perform post-exploitation. Continuous monitoring for vendor updates is essential given the reported lack of communication during the initial disclosure phase to ensure timely patch deployment when available.