iOS and iPadOS: Use After Free
CVE-2026-28969 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in iOS and iPadOS from Apple, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 18.7.9, 26.5, 27 as the first without the flaw, so updating iOS and iPadOS to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.53% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update iOS and iPadOS to 18.7.9 or 26.5 or 27, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update macOS to 14.8.7 or 15.7.7 or 15.8 or 26.5, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update tvOS to 26.5 or 27, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Read the advisory on support.apple.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | iOS and iPadOS | before 18.7.9; before 26.5; before 27 | 18.7.9, 26.5, 27 |
| Apple | macOS | before 14.8.7; before 15.7.7; before 15.8; before 26.5; before 26.7; before 27 | 14.8.7, 15.7.7, 15.8, 26.5, 26.7, 27 |
| Apple | tvOS | before 26.5; before 27 | 26.5, 27 |
| Apple | visionOS | before 26.5; before 27 | 26.5, 27 |
| Apple | watchOS | before 26.5; before 27 | 26.5, 27 |
| Apple | iPadOS | before 18.7.9; 26.0 up to, but not including, 26.5 | 18.7.9, 26.5 |
| Apple | Iphone OS | before 18.7.9; 26.0 up to, but not including, 26.5 | 18.7.9, 26.5 |
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
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- 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
- NoneAvailability is not affected.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N. Scored by CISA (ADP).
Official description
A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.7.9 and iPadOS 18.7.9, iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5, iOS 27 and iPadOS 27, macOS Golden Gate 27, macOS Sequoia 15.7.7, macOS Sequoia 15.8, macOS Sonoma 14.8.7, macOS Tahoe 26.5, macOS Tahoe 26.7, tvOS 26.5, tvOS 27, visionOS 26.5, visionOS 27, watchOS 26.5, watchOS 27. An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Use After Free
The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory belongs to the code that operates on the new pointer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
- When freeing pointers, be sure to set them to NULL once they are freed. However, the utilization of multiple or complex data structures may lower the usefulness of this strategy.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
- support.apple.com/en-us/127110Release Notes
- support.apple.com/en-us/127111Release Notes
- support.apple.com/en-us/127115Release Notes
- support.apple.com/en-us/127116Release Notes
- support.apple.com/en-us/127117Release Notes
- support.apple.com/en-us/127118Release Notes
- support.apple.com/en-us/127119Release Notes
- support.apple.com/en-us/127120Release Notes
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in iOS and iPadOS
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
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