CVE-2026-84625 in iOS
Summary
by MITRE • 09/15/2026
A permissions issue was addressed with additional sandbox restrictions. This issue is fixed in iOS 27 and iPadOS 27, macOS Golden Gate 27, visionOS 27, watchOS 27. An app may be able to fingerprint the user.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/15/2026
The disclosed vulnerability represents a failure in operating system sandboxing mechanisms that allowed applications to perform device or user fingerprinting beyond their intended permissions scope. In modern mobile and desktop ecosystems such as iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS, and watchOS, apps are confined within strict sandboxes designed to isolate data access and restrict interactions with other processes or hardware components. This specific flaw indicates a bypass of those restrictions, enabling an application to gather unique identifiers or behavioral patterns that can be used to construct a persistent profile of the user without explicit consent or proper authorization. Such fingerprinting techniques often involve collecting information about installed apps, system configuration details, network interfaces, or hardware characteristics which, when combined, create a distinct identifier that persists across sessions and app reinstalls.
From a technical perspective, this issue falls under the category of insufficient isolation between application processes and sensitive user data. The vulnerability likely stems from an overly permissive default state in certain APIs or services where fingerprinting-related attributes were exposed to applications without requiring elevated privileges or explicit user permission prompts. This allows malicious actors to track users across different contexts, undermining privacy expectations established by both platform design principles and regulatory frameworks like GDPR or CCPA. By bypassing sandbox restrictions, the app gains visibility into system-level information that should remain inaccessible, thereby violating the principle of least privilege which is foundational to secure software architecture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data leakage; it facilitates long-term surveillance and profiling capabilities for attackers who exploit these weaknesses. Users may find their digital footprint expanded without awareness, leading to targeted advertising, identity theft risks, or more sophisticated social engineering attacks based on accumulated behavioral data. For enterprise environments relying on mobile device management solutions, such vulnerabilities can compromise the integrity of secure containerization strategies if not properly patched, potentially allowing insider threats or compromised apps to exfiltrate sensitive organizational information under the guise of legitimate user tracking activities.
Mitigation efforts have been addressed through enhanced sandbox restrictions implemented in iOS 27, iPadOS 27, macOS Golden Gate 27, visionOS 27, and watchOS 27. These updates likely involve tightening API access controls, introducing stricter permission checks for fingerprinting-related functions, and improving audit logging to detect unauthorized attempts at user profiling. Developers must ensure their applications comply with updated privacy manifests and avoid requesting unnecessary permissions that could trigger such vulnerabilities. Users should keep their devices updated to the latest software versions to benefit from these security enhancements. Additionally, employing mobile threat defense solutions can provide additional layers of detection for apps attempting to exploit similar weaknesses in older or unpatched systems.
This incident aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) categories related to improper access control and information exposure through inadequate sandboxing. It also correlates with MITRE ATT&CK techniques involving system information discovery, where adversaries collect data about the target environment to facilitate further attacks. Organizations should review their app distribution policies to ensure only vetted applications are installed on corporate devices and consider implementing runtime application self-protection mechanisms that monitor for anomalous behavior indicative of fingerprinting attempts. Continuous monitoring and regular security assessments remain critical in maintaining robust defenses against evolving privacy violations enabled by such vulnerabilities.