# CVE-2026-86904: Apple iOS iPadOS watchOS cross-app tracking privacy issue

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-86904-apple-ios-ipados-watchos-cross-app-tracking-privacy-issue  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-09-14. Updated: 2026-09-26  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-86904 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.5 · Published 2026-09-14

Apple's iOS, iPadOS, and watchOS operating systems contained a privacy vulnerability that allowed apps to track user activity across different applications and websites without authorization. This undermines user privacy settings and could enable unauthorized profiling, targeting, and surveillance of user behavior across the platform. The issue has been patched in iOS 26.7, iPadOS 26.7, iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and watchOS 27.

Technologies: [Apple iPadOS](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/ipados), [Apple Iphone Os](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/iphone-os), [Apple watchOS](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/watchos). Vendors: [Apple](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/apple).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-86904 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-86904 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-86904?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.5, published 14 September 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Apple iPadOS before 26.7, before 27; Apple watchOS before 27.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-86904?** A patch was published on 2026-09-14: Fixed in iOS 26.7, iPadOS 26.7, iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and watchOS 27 Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-86904 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in an operating system.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-86904?** Check whether you run Apple iPadOS, Apple Iphone Os or Apple watchOS at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

A state management flaw in the privacy framework allowed third-party applications to bypass privacy protections and track users across application and web boundaries without explicit permission. The vulnerability was addressed through improved state management in the privacy subsystem. The attack requires only that an app be installed on the device; no network access or user interaction beyond normal app usage is needed. An attacker with a malicious app could correlate user behavior across different apps and websites, creating detailed usage profiles. Apple released patches on September 14, 2026.

## Affected products

- Apple iOS before 26.7, before 27
- Apple iPadOS before 26.7, before 27
- Apple watchOS before 27

## Timeline

- 2026-09-14: patched: Fixed in iOS 26.7, iPadOS 26.7, iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and watchOS 27
- 2026-09-14: disclosed: CVE-2026-86904 published

## References

- [https://support.apple.com/en-us/149034](https://support.apple.com/en-us/149034)
- [https://support.apple.com/en-us/149037](https://support.apple.com/en-us/149037)

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