CVE-2026-65408 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 09/15/2026
An integer overflow was addressed with improved input validation. This issue is fixed in iOS 26.7 and iPadOS 26.7, iOS 27 and iPadOS 27, macOS Golden Gate 27, macOS Sequoia 15.8, macOS Tahoe 26.7. An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/15/2026
The vulnerability described involves an integer overflow condition that was resolved through enhanced input validation mechanisms within the affected Apple operating systems. Integer overflows occur when a calculation results in a numeric value that exceeds the maximum capacity of the assigned data type, causing it to wrap around to a negative number or a very small positive value depending on whether signed or unsigned integers are used. In this specific instance, the lack of proper bounds checking allowed an application to supply input values that triggered arithmetic operations exceeding their allocated memory limits. This flaw was addressed by implementing stricter validation logic to ensure that all numerical inputs fall within expected and safe ranges before being processed by system components. The fix is incorporated into iOS 26.7, iPadOS 26.7, iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS Golden Gate 27, macOS Sequoia 15.8, and macOS Tahoe 26.7, reflecting Apple's commitment to patching critical memory management issues across its ecosystem.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-190, which classifies integer overflow or wraparound errors as a significant category of software weaknesses. When an application triggers such an error within system-level code rather than in isolated user-space processes, the consequences can be severe. In this case, the immediate operational impact is described as causing unexpected system termination. This typically manifests as a denial of service condition where the affected process or subsystem crashes due to memory corruption or invalid state transitions resulting from the miscalculated values. While the description does not explicitly mention remote code execution, integer overflows in core system libraries are frequently exploited for privilege escalation if additional conditions such as heap layout control or type confusion exist. However, based on the provided information, the primary risk is service disruption rather than arbitrary code execution.
The attack vector likely involves a local application interacting with system APIs that perform arithmetic operations on user-supplied data without adequate sanitization. An attacker could craft malicious input parameters to trigger this overflow during routine operations such as file processing, network packet handling, or media decoding. The resulting crash disrupts normal functionality and may lead to instability in dependent services running on the device. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered by seemingly benign applications that do not require elevated privileges initially but exploit weaknesses in higher-privileged system components through improper input validation.
Mitigation strategies primarily rely on applying the provided software updates which contain the corrected input validation logic. Administrators and users should ensure all devices are updated to at least iOS 26.7, iPadOS 26.7, iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS Golden Gate 27, macOS Sequoia 15.8, or macOS Tahoe 26.7. For developers integrating similar logic in custom applications, it is essential to implement rigorous range checking for all numerical inputs before performing arithmetic operations. Utilizing safe integer libraries that detect overflows and throw exceptions rather than allowing silent wraparounds can prevent such issues. Additionally, employing static analysis tools during the development phase can help identify potential overflow points early in the software lifecycle.
In terms of threat intelligence frameworks, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1499, Endpoint Denial of Service, specifically under sub-techniques involving resource exhaustion or service disruption through application crashes. It also relates to CWE-20, Improper Input Validation, which is a root cause category for many exploitation scenarios. Security teams should monitor for anomalous process termination events in system logs that may indicate attempts to exploit this flaw before patches are fully deployed across all endpoints. Regular patch management and adherence to secure coding standards remain the most effective defenses against such memory-related vulnerabilities.