CVE-2026-64761 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 09/15/2026
A privacy issue was addressed with improved handling of user preferences. This issue is fixed in iOS 27 and iPadOS 27. An app may be able to identify what other apps a user has installed.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/19/2026
The vulnerability described involves a flaw in the operating system's management of application metadata, specifically regarding how information about installed applications is exposed or handled within the privacy framework. In iOS and iPadOS environments, the security model relies heavily on strict isolation between applications to prevent unauthorized data access. However, when user preferences or app state are not properly sanitized before being shared with other processes or APIs, it creates a side-channel through which an application can infer the presence of other software installed on the device. This type of issue is categorized under CWE-200 as Information Exposure, where security-sensitive information is disclosed to unauthorized actors without necessarily exploiting a traditional code execution flaw but rather by leveraging system behavior and available data points.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability allows an application to fingerprint the user's environment by detecting specific identifiers or behavioral signatures associated with other installed apps. This could be achieved through various mechanisms such as analyzing URL schemes that are registered only by certain applications, checking for the existence of specific files in shared containers if permissions were misconfigured, or observing system responses when attempting to open URLs tied to particular software. The core issue lies not necessarily in a direct breach of encrypted data but in the leakage of metadata that can be aggregated to build a detailed profile of the user's digital footprint. This undermines the principle of least privilege and violates expectations set by privacy frameworks like GDPR or CCPA, which require minimal data collection and strict purpose limitation for any personal information gathered by software.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant in terms of user privacy and security posture. By identifying installed applications, an attacker can tailor subsequent attacks to exploit known vulnerabilities specific to those apps. For instance, if a banking application or a password manager is detected, the malicious app might attempt more sophisticated phishing attempts or social engineering tactics tailored to that service's users. Furthermore, this capability enables enhanced tracking and profiling by advertisers or data brokers who seek granular insights into user behavior beyond simple browsing history. It erodes trust in the mobile operating system as a secure platform for sensitive activities such as financial transactions or communication, potentially leading to broader security incidents where targeted attacks succeed due to prior reconnaissance facilitated by this information leak.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve ensuring that applications adhere strictly to privacy best practices and that the operating system enforces robust sandboxing rules. Developers must avoid querying system states in ways that reveal unnecessary metadata about other apps. Apple addressed this issue in iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 by tightening these controls, likely by restricting access to app installation lists or sanitizing responses from APIs that previously allowed such enumeration. Users should ensure their devices are updated to the latest version to benefit from these patches. Additionally, security administrators can monitor for unusual patterns of API calls related to application discovery within enterprise environments and enforce policies that limit background data collection capabilities where feasible. This aligns with MITRE ATT&CK techniques under Reconnaissance, specifically those involving software fingerprinting or device enumeration, highlighting the need for continuous monitoring and defense-in-depth strategies to protect against such privacy-centric threats.