Multiple Vulnerabilities in Apple Products Could Allow for Arbitrary Code Execution
MS-ISAC ADVISORY NUMBER:
2026-047DATE(S) ISSUED:
05/12/2026OVERVIEW:
Multiple vulnerabilities have been discovered in Apple products, the most severe of which could allow for arbitrary code execution. Successful exploitation of the most severe of these vulnerabilities could allow for arbitrary code execution. Depending on the privileges associated with the user an attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than those who operate with administrative user rights.
THREAT INTELLIGENCE:
There are currently no reports of these vulnerabilities being exploited in the wild.
SYSTEMS AFFECTED:
- Versions prior to iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5
- Versions prior to iOS 18.7.9 and iPadOS 18.7.9
- Versions prior to iPadOS 17.7.11
- Versions prior to iOS 16.7.16 and iPadOS 16.7.16
- Versions prior to iOS 15.8.8 and iPadOS 15.8.8
- Versions prior to macOS Tahoe 26.5
- Versions prior to macOS Sequoia 15.7.7
- Versions prior to macOS Sonoma 14.8.7
- Versions prior to tvOS 26.5
- Versions prior to watchOS 26.5
- Versions prior to visionOS 26.5
RISK:
Government:
Businesses:
Home Users:
TECHNICAL SUMMARY:
Multiple vulnerabilities have been discovered in Apple products, the most severe of which could allow for arbitrary code execution. Details of these vulnerabilities are as follows:
Tactic: Initial Access (TA0001):
Technique: Drive-by Compromise (T1189):
- An app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. (CVE-2026-28819)
- An app may be able to gain root privileges. (CVE-2026-28951, CVE-2026-28915, CVE-2026-28919, CVE-2026-28976, CVE-2026-28840)
- An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination or write kernel memory. (CVE-2026-28972, CVE-2026-28925)
- A remote attacker may be able to cause unexpected system termination or corrupt kernel memory. (CVE-2026-43668)
- Processing a maliciously crafted image may corrupt process memory. (CVE-2026-43661, CVE-2026-28990, CVE-2026-28940, CVE-2026-39870)
Additional lower severity vulnerabilities include:
- An app may be able to cause a denial-of-service. (CVE-2026-28991, CVE-2026-28974)
- An app may be able to bypass certain Privacy preferences. (CVE-2026-28988)
- An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination. (CVE-2026-28959, CVE-2026-28969, CVE-2026-28986, CVE-2026-28952)
- A malicious app may be able to break out of its sandbox. (CVE-2026-28995, CVE-2026-28923, CVE-2026-28978)
- Processing a maliciously crafted image may lead to a denial-of-service. (CVE-2026-1837)
- Processing a maliciously crafted media file may lead to unexpected app termination or corrupt process memory. (CVE-2026-28956)
- Processing an audio stream in a maliciously crafted media file may terminate the process. (CVE-2026-39869)
- An app may be able to access sensitive user data. (CVE-2026-28964, CVE-2026-43659, CVE-2026-28996, CVE-2026-28958, CVE-2026-28877, CVE-2026-28870)
- Processing a maliciously crafted file may lead to unexpected app termination. (CVE-2026-28936, CVE-2026-28977)
- Parsing a maliciously crafted file may lead to an unexpected app termination. (CVE-2026-28918, CVE-2026-43656)
- An attacker may be able to cause unexpected app termination. (CVE-2026-28992)
- An app may be able to determine kernel memory layout. (CVE-2026-28943)
- An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination or read kernel memory. (CVE-2026-43655)
- An app may be able to disclose kernel memory. (CVE-2026-43654)
- A local user may be able to cause unexpected system termination or read kernel memory. (CVE-2026-28897)
- An app may be able to leak sensitive kernel state. (CVE-2026-28987)
- A remote attacker may be able to cause a denial of service. (CVE-2026-28983)
- An attacker on the local network may be able to cause a denial-of-service. (CVE-2026-43653, CVE-2026-28985, CVE-2026-43666)
- An attacker may be able to track users through their IP address. (CVE-2026-28906)
- A remote attacker may be able to cause unexpected app termination. (CVE-2026-28846)
- An attacker with physical access may be able to use Visual Intelligence to access sensitive user data during iPhone Mirroring. (CVE-2026-28963)
- An app may be able to access user-sensitive data. (CVE-2026-28993)
- An app may be able to capture a user's screen. (CVE-2026-28957)
- Processing maliciously crafted web content may prevent Content Security Policy from being enforced. (CVE-2026-43660, CVE-2026-28907)
- Processing maliciously crafted web content may disclose sensitive user information. (CVE-2026-28962)
- Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an unexpected Safari crash. (CVE-2026-43658, CVE-2026-28947, CVE-2026-28942, CVE-2026-28946)
- Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an unexpected process crash. (CVE-2026-28905, CVE-2026-28847, CVE-2026-28904, CVE-2026-28955, CVE-2026-28903, CVE-2026-28953, CVE-2026-28902, CVE-2026-28901, CVE-2026-28913, CVE-2026-28883, CVE-2026-28917, CVE-2026-28944)
- A malicious iframe may use another website’s download settings. (CVE-2026-28971)
- An attacker in a privileged network position may be able to perform denial-of-service attack using crafted Wi-Fi packets. (CVE-2026-28994)
- A user may be able to view restricted content from the lock screen. (CVE-2026-28965)
- Visiting a maliciously crafted website may leak sensitive data. (CVE-2026-28920)
- A remote attacker may be able to cause a denial-of-service. (CVE-2026-28872, CVE-2026-28894)
- A maliciously crafted disk image may bypass Gatekeeper checks. (CVE-2026-28954)
- An app may be able to enumerate a user's installed apps. (CVE-2026-28882, CVE-2026-28878)
- Replying to an email could display remote images in Mail in Lockdown Mode. (CVE-2026-28929)
- Processing a maliciously crafted file may lead to a denial-of-service or potentially disclose memory contents. (CVE-2026-28941)
- An app may be able to circumvent App Privacy Report logging. (CVE-2026-28873)
- Notifications marked for deletion could be unexpectedly retained on the device. (CVE-2026-28950)
- An app may be able to access private information. (CVE-2026-28922)
- An app may be able to modify protected parts of the file system. (CVE-2026-28908)
- An attacker with physical access to a locked device may be able to view sensitive user information. (CVE-2026-28961)
- An app may be able to access protected user data. (CVE-2026-43652, CVE-2026-28930)
- A remote attacker may be able to cause unexpected system termination. (CVE-2026-28848)
- An app may be able to access Contacts without user consent. (CVE-2026-28924)
- An app may be able to observe unprotected user data. (CVE-2026-39871)
- A maliciously crafted ZIP archive may bypass Gatekeeper checks. (CVE-2026-28914)
- An app may be able to break out of its sandbox. (CVE-2025-43524)
Successful exploitation of the most severe of these vulnerabilities could allow for arbitrary code execution. Depending on the privileges associated with the user an attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than those who operate with administrative user rights.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
We recommend the following actions be taken:
- Apply appropriate updates provided by Apple to vulnerable systems immediately after appropriate testing. (M1051: Update Software)
- Safeguard 7.1: Establish and Maintain a Vulnerability Management Process: Establish and maintain a documented vulnerability management process for enterprise assets. Review and update documentation annually, or when significant enterprise changes occur that could impact this Safeguard.
- Safeguard 7.4: Perform Automated Application Patch Management: Perform application updates on enterprise assets through automated patch management on a monthly, or more frequent, basis.
- Safeguard 7.7: Remediate Detected Vulnerabilities: Remediate detected vulnerabilities in software through processes and tooling on a monthly, or more frequent, basis, based on the remediation process.
- Safeguard 9.1: Ensure Use of Only Fully Supported Browsers and Email Clients: Ensure only fully supported browsers and email clients are allowed to execute in the enterprise, only using the latest version of browsers and email clients provided through the vendor.
- Apply the Principle of Least Privilege to all systems and services. Run all software as a non-privileged user (one without administrative privileges) to diminish the effects of a successful attack. (M1026: Privileged Account Management)
- Safeguard 4.7: Manage Default Accounts on Enterprise Assets and Software: Manage default accounts on enterprise assets and software, such as root, administrator, and other pre-configured vendor accounts. Example implementations can include: disabling default accounts or making them unusable.
- Safeguard 5.4: Restrict Administrator Privileges to Dedicated Administrator Accounts: Restrict administrator privileges to dedicated administrator accounts on enterprise assets. Conduct general computing activities, such as internet browsing, email, and productivity suite use, from the user’s primary, non-privileged account.
- Use capabilities to detect and block conditions that may lead to or be indicative of a software exploit occurring. (M1050: Exploit Protection)
- Safeguard 10.5: Enable Anti-Exploitation Features: Enable anti-exploitation features on enterprise assets and software, where possible, such as Microsoft® Data Execution Prevention (DEP), Windows® Defender Exploit Guard (WDEG), or Apple® System Integrity Protection (SIP) and Gatekeeper™.
- Restrict use of certain websites, block downloads/attachments, block JavaScript, restrict browser extensions, etc. (M1021: Restrict Web-Based Content)
- Safeguard 9.2: Use DNS Filtering Services: Use DNS filtering services on all enterprise assets to block access to known malicious domains.
- Safeguard 9.3: Maintain and Enforce Network-Based URL Filters: Enforce and update network-based URL filters to limit an enterprise asset from connecting to potentially malicious or unapproved websites. Example implementations include category-based filtering, reputation-based filtering, or through the use of block lists. Enforce filters for all enterprise assets.
- Safeguard 9.6: Block Unnecessary File Types: Block unnecessary file types attempting to enter the enterprise’s email gateway.
- Block execution of code on a system through application control, and/or script blocking. (M1038: Execution Prevention)
- Safeguard 2.5: Allowlist Authorized Software: Use technical controls, such as application allowlisting, to ensure that only authorized software can execute or be accessed. Reassess bi-annually, or more frequently.
- Safeguard 2.6: Allowlist Authorized Libraries: Use technical controls to ensure that only authorized software libraries, such as specific .dll, .ocx, .so, etc., files, are allowed to load into a system process. Block unauthorized libraries from loading into a system process. Reassess bi-annually, or more frequently.
- Safeguard 2.7: Allowlist Authorized Scripts: Use technical controls, such as digital signatures and version control, to ensure that only authorized scripts, such as specific .ps1, .py, etc., files, are allowed to execute. Block unauthorized scripts from executing. Reassess bi-annually, or more frequently.
- Use capabilities to prevent suspicious behavior patterns from occurring on endpoint systems. This could include suspicious process, file, API call, etc. behavior. (M1040: Behavior Prevention on Endpoint)
- Safeguard 13.2: Deploy a Host-Based Intrusion Detection Solution: Deploy a host-based intrusion detection solution on enterprise assets, where appropriate and/or supported.
- Safeguard 13.7: Deploy a Host-Based Intrusion Prevention Solution: Deploy a host-based intrusion prevention solution on enterprise assets, where appropriate and/or supported. Example implementations include use of an Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) client or host-based IPS agent.
- Inform and educate users regarding the threats posed by hypertext links contained in emails or attachments especially from un-trusted sources. Remind users not to visit un-trusted websites or follow links provided by unknown or un-trusted sources. (M1017: User Training)
- Safeguard 14.1: Establish and Maintain a Security Awareness Program: Establish and maintain a security awareness program. The purpose of a security awareness program is to educate the enterprise’s workforce on how to interact with enterprise assets and data in a secure manner. Conduct training at hire and, at a minimum, annually. Review and update content annually, or when significant enterprise changes occur that could impact this Safeguard.
- Safeguard 14.2: Train Workforce Members to Recognize Social Engineering Attacks: Train workforce members to recognize social engineering attacks, such as phishing, pre-texting, and tailgating.