Description

An out-of-bounds access issue was addressed with improved bounds checking. This issue is fixed in iOS 26.6.1 and iPadOS 26.6.1, macOS Sequoia 15.8, macOS Tahoe 26.6.2, tvOS 27, visionOS 27, watchOS 27. An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination or corrupt kernel memory.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "7.1",
  "pubDate": "2026-09-14T21:17:14.660Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-09-14T21:17:14.660Z",
  "executiveSummary": "This vulnerability is an out-of-bounds access flaw identified within the kernel subsystems of multiple Apple operating systems, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS.\nThe root cause of the issue stems from insufficient bounds checking during memory access operations, which permits an attacker to perform unauthorized read or write operations beyond the intended memory buffer limits.\nThe successful exploitation of this vulnerability by a malicious application can lead to two primary security outcomes: the triggering of an unexpected system termination, resulting in a denial-of-service (DoS) state, or the corruption of critical kernel memory.\nKernel memory corruption is a high-severity security event that may allow an attacker to bypass kernel-level security protections, potentially facilitating arbitrary code execution or privilege escalation.\nThe vulnerability affects iOS 26.6.1, iPadOS 26.6.1, macOS Sequoia 15.8, macOS Tahoe 26.6.2, tvOS 27, visionOS 27, and watchOS 27.\nAttackers require the ability to execute an application on the target system to initiate the exploit. No specific remote network access requirements were identified in the disclosure, suggesting that local application execution is the primary vector.",
  "technicalDetails": "The vulnerability is classified as an out-of-bounds (OOB) memory access issue. This occurs when a software component fails to properly validate the index or pointer offsets used to access a contiguous block of memory, such as an array or a buffer.\nIn the context of the kernel, this typically indicates that a syscall or a kernel-managed driver interface accepts input from user-space that lacks rigorous bounds enforcement. When the kernel processes this input, it may perform calculations that result in a memory address outside of the allocated structure's range.\nThe attack flow commences when a malicious application invokes a specific system interface with crafted parameters. By supplying carefully constructed input, the attacker forces the kernel component to operate on memory addresses that reside outside the authorized bounds of the target buffer.\nIf the out-of-bounds access involves a write operation, the attacker can overwrite adjacent kernel data structures, function pointers, or object headers. This corruption can disrupt kernel stability, leading to system crashes or kernel panics. In more advanced scenarios, an attacker may leverage this memory corruption to overwrite kernel-level control structures, effectively hijacking the execution flow of the operating system.\nIf the access involves a read operation, sensitive data residing in adjacent kernel memory—such as pointers used for Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) bypasses or cryptographic material—could be exfiltrated to the user-space application.\nThe kernel's role as the core mediator of system resources means that once the kernel memory is corrupted, the integrity of the entire system is compromised. Because this vulnerability involves the kernel, the attacker potentially bypasses traditional user-mode sandbox protections.\nThe affected versions include iOS 26.6.1, iPadOS 26.6.1, macOS Sequoia 15.8, macOS Tahoe 26.6.2, tvOS 27, visionOS 27, and watchOS 27. The fix provided by the vendor involves the implementation of improved bounds checking logic. This ensures that all memory access operations are strictly validated against the size and boundary constraints of the corresponding kernel buffers, effectively dropping or rejecting any request that attempts to access memory outside of the valid range."
}