Executive brief
A memory handling issue in Apple operating systems could allow a malicious application to cause a sudden system crash or termination. This affects a wide range of devices including iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches. While primarily an availability issue, it can disrupt operations and lead to data loss if the system restarts unexpectedly. Users should update to the latest software versions to resolve the flaw.
Technical details
A memory initialization vulnerability exists across several Apple operating systems due to improper memory handling. A local attacker, via a malicious application, can exploit this flaw to trigger an unexpected system termination (denial of service). The issue was addressed by improving memory handling logic in the affected components. Impacted platforms include iOS, iPadOS, macOS (Sequoia, Sonoma, Tahoe), tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS. Patches are available in the latest OS updates (e.g., iOS 26.6, macOS Sequoia 15.7.8).
Affected products
- Apple iOS and iPadOS < 26.6
- Apple macOS Sequoia < 15.7.8
- Apple macOS Sonoma < 14.8.8
- Apple macOS Tahoe < 26.6
- Apple tvOS < 26.6
- Apple visionOS < 26.6
- Apple watchOS < 26.6
Timeline
- 2026-07-27: disclosed
- 2026-07-27: patched