CVE-2026-28874 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 03/25/2026
The issue was addressed with improved checks. This issue is fixed in iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4. A remote attacker may cause an unexpected app termination.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/29/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2026-28874 represents a stability issue within iOS and iPadOS operating systems that manifests through improper input validation mechanisms. This weakness allows a remote attacker to exploit a condition that results in unexpected application termination, potentially disrupting normal user operations and creating denial of service scenarios. The issue specifically affects versions prior to iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4, indicating that Apple addressed this concern through enhanced validation procedures in their security updates.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation as a fundamental weakness in software systems. When applications fail to properly validate input data, they become susceptible to various forms of exploitation that can lead to unexpected behavior including crashes and application termination. This particular flaw operates at the system level where remote attackers can craft malicious inputs that trigger the application termination sequence without proper safeguards in place.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to both individual users and enterprise environments. The remote exploitation capability means that attackers do not require physical access to devices or local network presence to execute attacks. When applications terminate unexpectedly, users may lose unsaved work and experience disruption in their workflow, while in enterprise settings this could lead to productivity losses and potential security implications. The vulnerability essentially creates a vector for denial of service attacks that can be executed remotely against affected systems.
The remediation implemented by Apple in iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 demonstrates a defensive programming approach that focuses on strengthening input validation mechanisms. This fix likely involves enhanced data sanitization procedures and improved error handling within the application frameworks that process external inputs. The solution addresses the root cause by implementing more robust checks that prevent malformed inputs from causing application instability. Organizations should prioritize deployment of these updates to protect their systems from potential exploitation attempts that could leverage this vulnerability for broader attack vectors.
The vulnerability also relates to ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which covers network denial of service attacks. While this specific CVE focuses on application termination rather than network-level disruption, the potential for remote exploitation and system instability places it within the broader category of service disruption techniques that attackers may use to compromise system availability. Security teams should monitor for any related exploitation attempts that might leverage this vulnerability as part of larger attack campaigns targeting iOS and iPadOS environments.