CVE-2026-84607 in iPadOS
Summary
by MITRE • 09/15/2026
A race condition was addressed with improved state management. 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 sandboxed app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/15/2026
The disclosed vulnerability represents a critical race condition within the operating system's state management mechanisms, specifically affecting Apple platforms including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS. Race conditions occur when software performs operations in an incorrect or unintended order due to timing dependencies between concurrent processes or threads. In this instance, the flaw lies in how the kernel handles specific states during transitions, allowing a window of opportunity where the system's integrity checks are bypassed before state updates are fully committed. This type of vulnerability is classically categorized under CWE-362, which defines race conditions involving simultaneous access to shared resources without proper synchronization. The severity of this issue stems from its potential to undermine fundamental security boundaries established by the operating system architecture.
The operational impact of this flaw is severe because it enables a sandboxed application to escalate privileges beyond its designated permissions. Typically, iOS and macOS employ strict sandboxing policies that restrict applications to accessing only their own data and specific, allowed resources. However, due to the race condition in state management, an attacker who has successfully exploited this vulnerability can execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges. This effectively breaks the isolation model that protects user data and system stability from malicious or compromised applications. By gaining kernel access, a sandboxed app could potentially read sensitive information stored on the device, modify system configurations, install persistent malware, or disable security features such as Gatekeeper or FileVault.
From an offensive security perspective, this vulnerability aligns with several techniques outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework for macOS and iOS platforms. Specifically, it relates to privilege escalation tactics where attackers leverage software vulnerabilities to gain higher-level access than intended. The exploitation path likely involves crafting a payload that triggers the race condition at precise intervals, exploiting the timing gap between state validation and state application. This requires sophisticated development skills but represents a significant threat vector for mobile malware authors targeting Apple ecosystems. The fact that multiple major operating system versions are affected indicates a systemic issue in the underlying kernel logic rather than an isolated bug in a single component.
Mitigation strategies primarily rely on timely software updates provided by Apple, as patches have been released across 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, and watchOS 27. Organizations and individual users must ensure that all devices are updated to these patched versions immediately upon availability. For enterprise environments implementing Mobile Device Management (MDM), automated deployment policies should be configured to prioritize the installation of security updates for kernel-level vulnerabilities. Additionally, developers building applications for these platforms should adhere strictly to sandboxing guidelines and avoid any attempts to interact with system internals in ways that could trigger such race conditions, although this vulnerability is exploitable by malicious actors rather than legitimate app logic errors. Security monitoring tools should also be configured to detect unusual privilege escalation events or unexpected kernel-level activity originating from standard application processes as an indicator of potential exploitation attempts for similar vulnerabilities.