CVE-2026-64707
Summary
by MITRE • 07/27/2026
A permissions issue was addressed with improved validation. 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, visionOS 26.6. An app may be able to delete files for which it does not have permission.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/27/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical permissions escalation flaw that undermines the fundamental security model of apple's operating systems. The issue stems from insufficient validation mechanisms within the file system access controls, allowing applications to perform deletion operations on files they should not have authorization to modify. Such a weakness directly violates the principle of least privilege and creates potential pathways for unauthorized data manipulation across multiple platform variants.
The technical implementation flaw manifests in how the operating system validates file access permissions during deletion operations. When an application attempts to delete a file, the system should verify that the requesting process possesses appropriate write permissions for the target file and its parent directory. However, due to inadequate permission checking logic, applications can bypass these validation steps and execute deletion commands against files where they lack proper authorization. This vulnerability affects all versions prior to the mentioned updates across iOS, iPadOS, macOS Sequoia, macOS Sonoma, macOS Tahoe, and visionOS platforms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized file deletion, creating potential for data loss, information disclosure, and system integrity compromise. Attackers could exploit this flaw to remove critical system files, user documents, or sensitive data without proper authorization, potentially leading to complete system instability or data recovery complications. The vulnerability also enables malicious applications to manipulate file systems in ways that could interfere with normal system operations or create backdoor access points for further exploitation.
Security professionals should prioritize patching affected systems immediately, as this vulnerability aligns with common attack patterns documented in the mitre att&ck framework under the privilege escalation and persistence tactics. The issue demonstrates characteristics consistent with cwe-284 (improper access control) and cwe-732 (incorrect permissions), making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple applications share system resources. Organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring of file deletion activities and conduct thorough security assessments to identify any potential exploitation attempts.
Mitigation strategies include deploying the latest security updates from apple as soon as possible, implementing application sandboxing controls, and establishing robust file access auditing procedures. System administrators should also consider restricting application permissions where possible and implementing additional layers of access control beyond the default operating system protections. Regular security assessments and penetration testing can help identify similar vulnerabilities in custom applications or third-party software that may be affected by this class of permission validation flaw.