CVE-2026-65357 in iPadOS
Summary
by MITRE • 09/15/2026
The issue was addressed with improved memory handling. This issue is fixed in iOS 26.6 and iPadOS 26.6, macOS Tahoe 26.6, tvOS 26.6, visionOS 26.6, watchOS 26.6. An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination or write kernel memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/15/2026
The vulnerability described involves a critical flaw in the operating systems iOS 26.6, iPadOS 26.6, macOS Tahoe 26.6, tvOS 26.6, visionOS 26.6, and watchOS 26.6, specifically related to improper memory handling within kernel-level operations. This type of defect typically arises when the system fails to correctly validate or manage data structures in memory, leading to scenarios where an application can manipulate pointers or buffer boundaries beyond their intended limits. The root cause is categorized under CWE-119 Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer, which encompasses issues such as buffer overflows and out-of-bounds writes that compromise the integrity of system resources.
From an operational perspective, this flaw allows a malicious or poorly coded application to trigger unexpected system termination or write arbitrary data into kernel memory. The consequence of unexpected system termination is a denial of service condition where the affected device becomes unresponsive or reboots unexpectedly, disrupting user productivity and potentially causing data loss if unsaved work is involved. More critically, the ability to write to kernel memory represents a severe security risk as it can lead to privilege escalation. By gaining control over kernel-space memory, an attacker may execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges, effectively taking full control of the device. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, where adversaries leverage software vulnerabilities to gain higher-level access on a compromised system.
The mitigation strategy implemented in these updates focuses on improving memory handling mechanisms within the kernel and core system libraries. Developers are advised to ensure that all applications adhere strictly to safe coding practices regarding memory allocation and deallocation. For end-users, the primary defense is to apply the latest security patches provided by Apple for iOS, iPadOS, macOS Tahoe, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS versions 26.6 or later. Regularly updating operating systems ensures that known vulnerabilities related to memory management are patched before they can be exploited in the wild. Additionally, organizations should enforce strict app distribution policies to minimize the risk of installing unvetted software that might contain triggers for such memory corruption flaws.