CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-28896NVD status: Modified

iOS and iPadOS: Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-28896 is a high-severity improper restriction of operations within the bounds of a memory buffer vulnerability in iOS and iPadOS from Apple, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.7 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists version 26.4 as the first without the flaw, so updating iOS and iPadOS to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.18% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update iOS and iPadOS to 26.4 or a later version.
  2. Update macOS to 14.8.8 or 15.7.8 or 26.4, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  3. Update tvOS to 26.4 or a later version.
  4. Read the advisory on support.apple.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
AppleiOS and iPadOSbefore 26.426.4
ApplemacOSbefore 14.8.8; before 15.7.8; before 26.414.8.8, 15.7.8, 26.4
AppletvOSbefore 26.426.4
ApplevisionOSbefore 26.426.4
ApplewatchOSbefore 26.426.4

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
NoneNo account or login is needed.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
NoneNothing can be modified.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H. Scored by CISA (ADP).

Official description

The issue was addressed with improved memory handling. This issue is fixed in iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4, macOS Sequoia 15.7.8, macOS Sonoma 14.8.8, macOS Tahoe 26.4, tvOS 26.4, visionOS 26.4, watchOS 26.4. An attacker may be able to cause unexpected system termination or read kernel memory.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer

The product performs operations on a memory buffer, but it reads from or writes to a memory location outside the buffer's intended boundary.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Use a language that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, many languages that perform their own memory management, such as Java and Perl, are not subject to buffer overflows. Other languages, such as Ada and C#, typically provide overflow protection, but the protection can be disabled by the programmer. Be wary that a language's interface to native code may still be subject to overflows, even if the language itself is theoretically safe.
  • Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. Examples include the Safe C String Library (SafeStr) by Messier and Viega, and the Strsafe.h library from Microsoft. These libraries provide safer versions of overflow-prone string-handling functions.
  • Use automatic buffer overflow detection mechanisms that are offered by certain compilers or compiler extensions. Examples include: the Microsoft Visual Studio /GS flag, Fedora/Red Hat FORTIFY_SOURCE GCC flag, StackGuard, and ProPolice, which provide various mechanisms including canary-based detection and range/index checking. D3-SFCV (Stack Frame Canary Validation) from D3FEND discusses canary-based detection in detail.

More Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer vulnerabilities (CWE-119)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in iOS and iPadOS

All iOS and iPadOS vulnerabilities

Recent Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer vulnerabilities

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