CVE-2026-64741 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 07/28/2026
A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions. This issue is fixed in iOS 26.6 and iPadOS 26.6, tvOS 26.6, visionOS 26.6, watchOS 26.6. An app may be able to read a persistent device identifier.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/28/2026
This vulnerability represents a permissions escalation issue that was resolved through enhanced restriction mechanisms in Apple's operating systems. The flaw allowed applications to potentially access and read persistent device identifiers that should have been protected from unauthorized retrieval. Such identifiers typically include unique hardware-based tracking numbers or serial numbers that persist across device reboots and system updates, making them valuable for both legitimate device management purposes and malicious tracking activities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls around device identifier storage and retrieval mechanisms within the operating system's security framework. When applications request device identifiers, proper permission checks should verify whether the requesting application has appropriate authorization levels to access such sensitive data. The weakness likely manifested in the authorization logic that governs how different app categories or privilege levels can interact with persistent identification information stored at the system level.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability created significant privacy and security risks for end users. Malicious applications could potentially harvest device identifiers to create persistent tracking profiles across multiple apps and services, enabling sophisticated user behavior monitoring and profiling that bypasses typical privacy protections. The persistent nature of these identifiers means they can be used to correlate user activities across different applications and platforms, creating comprehensive behavioral profiles that undermine user privacy expectations. This capability aligns with attack patterns documented in the mitre ATT&CK framework under techniques related to credential access and persistence mechanisms.
The remediation implemented by Apple through iOS 26.6 and subsequent versions involved strengthening the permission model around device identifier access. This likely included enhanced validation of application entitlements, stricter enforcement of app sandboxing principles, and additional checks in the system call interfaces that handle persistent identifier retrieval. The fix addresses the underlying CWE categories related to insufficient authorization and weak permissions management, specifically targeting weaknesses in access control mechanisms that allow unauthorized data access.
Organizations should prioritize updating affected systems to the patched versions immediately, as the vulnerability could be exploited by malicious applications that have gained user trust or through supply chain compromises. Security teams should also implement monitoring for suspicious application behavior patterns that might indicate attempts to access restricted device identifiers. The mitigation strategy extends beyond simple patching to include comprehensive application vetting processes and enhanced security monitoring of device identifier access patterns, particularly in enterprise environments where device tracking and privacy controls are more stringent. This vulnerability highlights the ongoing need for robust permission management systems and demonstrates how seemingly minor access control gaps can create significant privacy exposure risks across multiple platform components.