CVE-2026-28882: Apple iPadOS Information Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2026-28882 Overview

CVE-2026-28882 is an information disclosure vulnerability affecting multiple Apple operating systems that allows a malicious application to enumerate installed apps on a user's device. This privacy issue stems from insufficient validation checks in the operating system's application handling mechanisms, potentially enabling attackers to build detailed profiles of users based on their installed applications.

Critical Impact
A malicious app can enumerate all installed applications on affected Apple devices, compromising user privacy and enabling targeted attacks based on installed software.

Affected Products

Apple iOS prior to version 26.4
Apple iPadOS prior to version 26.4
Apple macOS Tahoe prior to version 26.4
Apple tvOS prior to version 26.4
Apple visionOS prior to version 26.4
Apple watchOS prior to version 26.4

Discovery Timeline

2026-03-25 - CVE-2026-28882 published to NVD
2026-03-26 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-28882

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability allows applications to bypass privacy controls and enumerate installed applications on Apple devices. App enumeration vulnerabilities are particularly concerning from a privacy perspective as they can reveal sensitive information about users, including their interests, financial applications, health-related apps, dating apps, and other potentially sensitive software installations.

The attack requires local access, meaning a malicious application must first be installed on the target device. Once installed, the app can query the system to determine what other applications are present, circumventing the privacy protections Apple has implemented to prevent this type of information gathering.

Root Cause

The vulnerability exists due to insufficient validation checks in the application handling subsystem across Apple's operating systems. The issue indicates that the operating system failed to properly restrict access to application metadata and installation status information, allowing untrusted applications to access data that should be protected by the system's privacy sandbox.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is local, requiring an attacker to first deploy a malicious application on the target device. This could be accomplished through:

Distributing a trojanized application through legitimate app stores by disguising malicious functionality
Sideloading applications on devices with reduced security configurations
Exploiting enterprise distribution mechanisms to deploy the malicious app
Social engineering users into installing seemingly benign applications that contain the enumeration capability

Once the malicious application is installed and executed, it can silently enumerate all installed applications without user interaction or visible indicators. The gathered information could then be exfiltrated to attacker-controlled servers for profiling purposes.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-28882

Indicators of Compromise

Applications making unusual system calls to enumerate installed apps
Unexpected network traffic from apps transmitting lists of installed software
Applications accessing app metadata APIs without legitimate business justification
Suspicious app behavior following installation of new applications from untrusted sources

Detection Strategies

Monitor for applications that query system APIs related to installed app enumeration
Implement behavioral analysis to detect apps that collect and transmit app installation data
Review application permissions and sandbox escapes that could indicate exploitation
Deploy endpoint detection solutions capable of identifying privacy-violating application behaviors

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable comprehensive application logging on managed Apple devices
Monitor network traffic for data exfiltration patterns containing app inventory information
Utilize Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions to track application installations and behaviors
Implement SentinelOne Singularity for macOS to detect anomalous application behaviors

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-28882

Immediate Actions Required

Update all Apple devices to the latest patched versions immediately
Review installed applications and remove any untrusted or unnecessary software
Restrict application installation sources to trusted app stores only
Enable automatic updates to ensure timely patch deployment

Patch Information

Apple has addressed this vulnerability with improved checks in the following software versions:

iOS 26.4 and iPadOS 26.4 - Apple Security Advisory #126792
macOS Tahoe 26.4 - Apple Security Advisory #126794
tvOS 26.4 - Apple Security Advisory #126797
visionOS 26.4 - Apple Security Advisory #126798
watchOS 26.4 - Apple Security Advisory #126799

Organizations should prioritize updating all affected devices to these versions to remediate the vulnerability.

Workarounds

Limit application installations to verified sources and App Store-vetted applications only
Use Mobile Device Management (MDM) to restrict which applications can be installed
Review and audit existing installed applications for suspicious behavior
Implement network monitoring to detect potential data exfiltration of app enumeration data
Consider removing sensitive applications from devices that cannot be immediately patched

bash

# macOS: Check current OS version
sw_vers

# macOS: Check for available updates
softwareupdate --list

# macOS: Install all available updates
softwareupdate --install --all