CVE-2026-28865 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 03/25/2026
An authentication issue was addressed with improved state management. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.7.7 and iPadOS 18.7.7, iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4, macOS Sequoia 15.7.5, macOS Sonoma 14.8.5, macOS Tahoe 26.4, tvOS 26.4, visionOS 26.4, watchOS 26.4. An attacker in a privileged network position may be able to intercept network traffic.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/29/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical authentication flaw that stems from inadequate state management within Apple's operating systems. The issue manifests as a weakness in how the system handles authentication states, potentially allowing unauthorized access to network resources. The vulnerability affects multiple Apple platforms including iOS, iPadOS, macOS variants, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS, indicating a widespread impact across the company's ecosystem. The authentication issue is particularly concerning because it could be exploited by attackers who are positioned within a privileged network location, suggesting that the vulnerability is not merely a local issue but one that can be leveraged from network-level positions.
The technical nature of this flaw involves improper state handling during authentication processes, which creates potential attack vectors for man-in-the-middle scenarios. When authentication state information is not properly managed, it can lead to session hijacking opportunities where an attacker intercepts and potentially manipulates authentication tokens or credentials. This type of vulnerability aligns with common weaknesses documented in the CWE database under categories related to authentication and session management failures. The specific nature of the state management issue suggests that the system may not adequately validate or maintain the integrity of authentication contexts, potentially allowing attackers to reuse or manipulate authentication states.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it could enable comprehensive network traffic interception capabilities for attackers in privileged positions. Such attackers could potentially monitor, modify, or redirect network communications between affected devices and their intended destinations. This represents a significant concern for enterprise environments where network monitoring and security are critical, as the vulnerability could be exploited to gain unauthorized access to sensitive corporate communications. The fact that multiple versions of Apple's operating systems are affected indicates that this is not a temporary glitch but a fundamental issue in how authentication state is managed across various platform versions.
The remediation for this vulnerability requires immediate deployment of the updated operating system versions mentioned in the advisory. Organizations should prioritize updating all affected devices to prevent exploitation, as the vulnerability's nature suggests it could be actively exploited in the wild. The fix implemented by Apple addresses the root cause through improved state management mechanisms that properly handle authentication contexts. Security teams should monitor for any signs of exploitation attempts and consider implementing additional network monitoring measures to detect potential traffic interception activities. This vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches across all networked devices and demonstrates the critical nature of authentication state management in preventing network-level attacks. The issue's classification under authentication and session management weaknesses aligns with ATT&CK framework techniques related to credential access and network sniffing operations, making it a significant concern for security professionals implementing defensive measures.