CVE-2026-65335 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 08/18/2026
This issue was addressed through improved state management. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.7.10 and iPadOS 18.7.10, iOS 26.6.1 and iPadOS 26.6.1, macOS Tahoe 26.6.2. Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an unexpected Safari crash.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/18/2026
The vulnerability described involves a flaw in the state management logic within Apple's WebKit engine, which powers the Safari browser across iOS and iPadOS devices as well as macOS systems including Tahoe. This issue was resolved through improved state management mechanisms that ensure proper handling of internal application states during web content processing. The core technical flaw lies in how the browser manages memory or execution context when encountering specifically crafted malicious web content. When a user navigates to such content, the improper state transitions can lead to an unexpected crash of the Safari process. This type of failure typically stems from race conditions, use-after-free errors, or invalid pointer dereferences that occur when the application fails to correctly validate or update its internal state variables in response to complex or malformed input data.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability falls under categories such as CWE-125 Out-of-bounds Read or CWE-416 Use After Free, depending on the specific nature of the memory corruption involved. The ATT&CK framework classifies this behavior under Tactic Execution and potentially Defense Evasion if an attacker leverages the crash to bypass security controls or disrupt service availability. While the immediate impact is a denial of service due to browser crashes, such vulnerabilities can sometimes be chained with other flaws to achieve arbitrary code execution, although in this specific instance, the primary consequence reported is the unexpected termination of the Safari application. The lack of robust state validation allows malicious actors to trigger these failures simply by hosting or distributing web pages that exploit the flawed logic within the rendering engine.
The operational impact of this vulnerability affects users who visit websites containing the crafted content. An attacker could distribute a link via phishing emails, social engineering tactics, or compromised legitimate websites. Upon clicking the link and loading the malicious page in Safari, the application may crash unexpectedly. This results in data loss for any unsaved work within browser tabs, disruption of user productivity, and potential exposure to further attacks if the system restarts without proper security checks. In enterprise environments, this could lead to increased help desk tickets and reduced trust in the stability of Apple's ecosystem. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of rigorous input validation and state management in web browsers that process untrusted content from the internet daily.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve updating affected software versions immediately. Users running iOS 18.7.9 or earlier, iPadOS 18.7.9 or earlier, macOS Tahoe 26.6.1 or earlier are advised to update to iOS 18.7.10, iPadOS 18.7.10, iOS 26.6.1, iPadOS 26.6.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.6.2 respectively. These updates contain the necessary patches for improved state management that prevent the crash conditions triggered by malicious web content. Additionally, users should exercise caution when clicking on links from untrusted sources or visiting unfamiliar websites, as this remains a best practice to minimize exposure to zero-day exploits until all devices are patched. Organizations should enforce automated patching policies to ensure rapid deployment of these security updates across their fleets of Apple devices, thereby reducing the window of opportunity for attackers to exploit known vulnerabilities in widely used software components like WebKit.