CVE-2026-64747 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 07/28/2026
A buffer overflow was addressed with improved size 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, tvOS 26.6, visionOS 26.6, watchOS 26.6. An app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/28/2026
A critical buffer overflow vulnerability has been identified and resolved through enhanced size validation mechanisms across multiple Apple operating system versions. This flaw represents a fundamental security weakness that allows malicious applications to potentially escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code with kernel-level permissions, fundamentally compromising the integrity of the affected systems.
The technical nature of this buffer overflow stems from insufficient input validation during memory allocation processes within the operating system kernel. When applications attempt to write data beyond allocated buffer boundaries, the system's memory management mechanisms fail to properly enforce size constraints, creating opportunities for attackers to overwrite critical memory regions. This vulnerability aligns with common weakness enumerations such as CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities that can lead to arbitrary code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond typical application-level security concerns, as successful exploitation enables attackers to gain kernel-level privileges. This privilege escalation capability allows malicious code to bypass all standard security controls, access protected system resources, and potentially compromise the entire device. The attack surface encompasses all affected Apple platforms including iOS, iPadOS, macOS versions across multiple releases, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS, indicating a widespread concern that affects various device categories.
According to ATT&CK framework mappings, this vulnerability corresponds to techniques such as T1068 (Exploitation for Privilege Escalation) and T1543 (Create or Modify System Process), as the flaw enables attackers to execute code with elevated privileges and potentially establish persistent access. The exploitability of this issue means that any application with sufficient access rights could leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized kernel-level control, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users may install untrusted applications.
The remediation implemented by Apple addresses this through improved size validation mechanisms that strictly enforce buffer boundaries during memory operations. This fix ensures that all input data is properly validated against allocated buffer sizes before any memory writes occur, preventing the overflow conditions that previously enabled privilege escalation attacks. The comprehensive patch coverage across multiple operating system versions demonstrates Apple's recognition of the severity and widespread nature of this vulnerability.
Security practitioners should prioritize deployment of these updates across all affected systems immediately, as the potential for exploitation remains high given the kernel-level privileges that can be gained through successful attack execution. Organizations should also implement monitoring for suspicious application behavior and ensure proper application sandboxing controls remain in place to limit potential impact even if such vulnerabilities exist in other software components.