CVE-2026-84583 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 09/15/2026
A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions. 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, tvOS 27, visionOS 27, watchOS 27. A local app may be able to read a persistent account identifier.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/15/2026
The disclosed vulnerability represents a critical failure in access control mechanisms within Apple's operating system ecosystem, specifically affecting iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS versions prior to the specified updates. This issue stems from an improper implementation of permission checks that governs how local applications interact with persistent account identifiers stored on the device. In a properly secured environment, such sensitive data should be accessible only through authorized APIs or under strict user consent protocols, ensuring that one application cannot arbitrarily access information belonging to another or to system-level services without explicit justification and approval. The flaw allows any locally installed app, regardless of its sandbox boundaries, to bypass these restrictions and retrieve the persistent account identifier associated with a user's Apple ID or other authenticated sessions.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability is classified under CWE-284, which denotes Improper Access Control, as well as CWE-755, referring to Improper Handling of Exceptional Conditions if the failure occurs during specific state transitions. The persistent account identifier serves as a stable reference for user identity across sessions and devices, making it highly valuable for tracking purposes. By exploiting this permissions issue, an attacker can correlate user activities across different applications or services without requiring additional authentication steps. This capability undermines the fundamental principle of least privilege, allowing low-privilege processes to elevate their access level implicitly by reading data that should remain isolated within secure enclaves or protected keychains depending on the specific implementation details of the affected OS version.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for user privacy and security posture. An adversary who gains local execution capability, either through a malicious app downloaded from an untrusted source or via a web-based attack vector that achieves code execution within the browser sandbox, can harvest these identifiers to build detailed profiles of users. This data facilitates targeted advertising, stalking, or more sophisticated social engineering attacks where the attacker already possesses verified identity markers. Furthermore, if these identifiers are linked to other compromised credentials in breach scenarios, they could aid in account takeover attempts by providing context that helps bypass security questions or behavioral analysis systems designed to detect anomalous login patterns.
Mitigation strategies primarily rely on applying the vendor-provided software updates for iOS 26.7 and iPadOS 26.7, as well as versions iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS Golden Gate 27, macOS Sequoia 15.8, macOS Tahoe 26.7, tvOS 27, visionOS 27, and watchOS 27. These updates contain the necessary code changes to enforce stricter permission checks before allowing access to persistent account identifiers. For organizations managing enterprise devices, it is imperative to ensure that mobile device management policies prioritize immediate patching of these endpoints. Users should also maintain strict control over app installation sources, avoiding sideloading applications from unknown developers who might exploit this flaw for data exfiltration. Regular security audits and monitoring for unusual network traffic patterns originating from local apps can provide additional layers of defense against exploitation attempts that may occur before patches are fully deployed across all devices in a fleet or personal ecosystem.