Executive brief
Apple macOS, iOS, and Safari are affected by a security flaw that allows attackers to compromise devices through malicious websites. By tricking a user into visiting a specially crafted webpage, an attacker could gain unauthorized access to sensitive data or take control of the device. This vulnerability has been exploited in the wild, making immediate updates critical for protecting personal and corporate information.
Technical details
A use-after-free (UAF) vulnerability exists in multiple Apple operating systems and the Safari web browser due to improper memory management when processing web content. The flaw is triggered when a user visits a maliciously crafted website, allowing an attacker to cause memory corruption. This can be leveraged for remote code execution (RCE) on the target device. The vulnerability has been observed in active exploitation as part of an exploit kit. Apple has addressed the issue by improving memory management in macOS Ventura 13.5, iOS/iPadOS 16.6, Safari 16.6, and iOS/iPadOS 15.8.7.
Affected products
- Apple macOS Ventura before 13.5
- Apple iOS before 16.6, before 15.8.7
- Apple iPadOS before 16.6, before 15.8.7
- Apple Safari before 16.6
Timeline
- 2025-11-05: disclosed: Initial CVE entry received from Apple
- 2026-03-05: kev added: Added to CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog
- 2026-03-05: advisory: Public advisory published
- 2026-03-05: exploited: Confirmed active exploitation in the wild