CVE-2026-43673 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 07/28/2026
The issue was addressed with improved memory handling. This issue is fixed in iOS 26.6 and iPadOS 26.6, macOS Sequoia 15.7.8, macOS Sonoma 14.8.8, macOS Tahoe 26.6, tvOS 26.6, visionOS 26.6, watchOS 26.6. Processing a maliciously crafted audio file may corrupt process memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/28/2026
This vulnerability represents a memory corruption issue that arises from insufficient input validation when processing specially crafted audio files within Apple's operating systems. The flaw stems from inadequate memory handling mechanisms that fail to properly validate or sanitize audio file structures before processing, creating potential pathways for malicious actors to exploit memory boundaries and execute arbitrary code. The vulnerability affects multiple Apple platforms including iOS, iPadOS, macOS versions, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS, indicating a widespread issue in the company's multimedia processing frameworks that handle audio file interpretation and playback.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves improper memory management during audio file parsing operations where the system does not adequately check for malformed or malicious input structures. When an attacker crafts an audio file with carefully constructed metadata or binary patterns, the processing pipeline fails to validate these inputs properly, leading to buffer overflows, heap corruption, or other memory integrity violations. This type of vulnerability aligns with common CWE categories such as CWE-121 for heap-based buffer overflow and CWE-125 for out-of-bounds read conditions, while also potentially mapping to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation through memory corruption exploits.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across all affected Apple platforms, creating significant security risks for users who may unknowingly process malicious audio files through various applications including media players, messaging apps, or file sharing services. Attackers could leverage this weakness by distributing specially crafted audio files via phishing campaigns, malicious websites, or compromised applications, potentially gaining unauthorized access to system resources or executing malicious code with elevated privileges. The vulnerability's presence across multiple operating systems suggests that attackers have broad targeting capabilities and can exploit the same weakness across different device types and platform versions.
Apple addressed this issue through enhanced memory handling mechanisms that include improved input validation, stricter bounds checking during audio file processing, and more robust error handling for malformed inputs. The security patches released in iOS 26.6, iPadOS 26.6, macOS Sequoia 15.7.8, macOS Sonoma 14.8.8, macOS Tahoe 26.6, tvOS 26.6, visionOS 26.6, and watchOS 26.6 implement comprehensive memory protection measures that prevent the corruption scenarios described in the vulnerability report. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of these updates across all affected devices to mitigate potential exploitation risks. Additionally, users should exercise caution when processing audio files from untrusted sources and maintain current system versions to ensure protection against this and related memory corruption vulnerabilities.