CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-84495NVD status: Modified

iOS and iPadOS: Use After Free

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-84495 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in iOS and iPadOS from Apple, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 26.7.2, 27.2 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 0.19% 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 26.7.2 or 27.2, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update macOS to 15.8.2 or 26.7.2 or 27.2, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  3. Update tvOS to 27.2 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 26.7.2; before 27.226.7.2, 27.2
ApplemacOSbefore 15.8.2; before 26.7.2; before 27.215.8.2, 26.7.2, 27.2
AppletvOSbefore 27.227.2
ApplevisionOSbefore 27.227.2
ApplewatchOSbefore 27.227.2
AppleiPadOSbefore 26.7.226.7.2
AppleIphone OSbefore 26.7.226.7.2

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
LowA basic user account is enough.
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
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

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

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.17.8HighNVD
CVSS 3.17.8HighCISA (ADP)

Official description

A use-after-free issue was addressed with improved memory management. This issue is fixed in iOS 26.7.2 and iPadOS 26.7.2, iOS 27.2 and iPadOS 27.2, macOS Golden Gate 27.2, macOS Sequoia 15.8.2, macOS Tahoe 26.7.2, tvOS 27.2, visionOS 27.2, watchOS 27.2. An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination or write kernel memory.

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.

More Use After Free vulnerabilities (CWE-416)

Timeline

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

References

Other vulnerabilities in iOS and iPadOS

All iOS and iPadOS vulnerabilities

Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities

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