CVE-2026-65360 Overview
CVE-2026-65360 is a race condition vulnerability [CWE-362] affecting multiple Apple operating systems. A local application can trigger the flaw to cause unexpected system termination, resulting in a denial-of-service condition on the host device. Apple addressed the issue with improved state handling across its platform lineup.
The vulnerability requires local access with low privileges and no user interaction. The attack complexity is rated high, reflecting the timing-sensitive nature of race condition exploitation. While the impact is limited to availability, the broad range of affected products makes this issue relevant for enterprise fleets running mixed Apple environments.
Critical Impact
A malicious application running locally can cause unexpected system termination across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, and watchOS devices, disrupting availability of the host system.
Affected Products
- Apple iOS and iPadOS (fixed in iOS 26.7, iPadOS 26.7, iOS 27, and iPadOS 27)
- Apple macOS (fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.8, macOS Tahoe 26.7, and macOS Golden Gate 27)
- Apple tvOS 27, visionOS 27, and watchOS 27
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-09-14 - CVE-2026-65360 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2026-09-18 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-65360
Vulnerability Analysis
CVE-2026-65360 is a race condition [CWE-362] in shared Apple platform code. The flaw arises when concurrent execution paths access shared state without adequate synchronization. Under a specific interleaving of operations, the affected component transitions into an inconsistent state, leading to unexpected system termination.
Exploitation requires an attacker to run a crafted application on the target device. The application must repeatedly trigger the vulnerable code path to win the race window. Successful exploitation crashes the affected subsystem or the operating system itself, denying service to legitimate users.
Apple's advisory language indicates that improved state handling was added to serialize the affected operations. The vendor did not publicly disclose the specific component or subsystem where the race occurs. Confidentiality and integrity are not impacted; only availability is affected.
Root Cause
The root cause is insufficient synchronization around shared state accessed by concurrent threads or processes. When two operations execute in an unexpected order, the system reaches an unhandled state that triggers a fault and terminates. Apple's remediation introduces additional state checks to prevent the vulnerable interleaving.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is local. An attacker must deliver and execute a malicious application on the target device with low privileges. No user interaction is required beyond initial application execution. The high attack complexity reflects the difficulty of reliably winning the race condition window.
No public proof-of-concept exploit is available at the time of publication. See the Apple Security Advisory #149034 and related bulletins for vendor technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-65360
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected system reboots or kernel panic reports appearing in device diagnostics or Mobile Device Management (MDM) telemetry
- Repeated application crashes tied to a single non-system process attempting privileged operations
- Presence of unsigned or untrusted applications on managed devices running vulnerable OS versions
Detection Strategies
- Monitor endpoint logs for recurring panic entries in /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/ on macOS or crash reports surfaced through MDM on iOS and iPadOS
- Inventory Apple devices by OS version and flag any endpoints running versions prior to the fixed releases listed in the Apple Security Advisories
- Correlate application install events with subsequent system termination events to identify potentially malicious processes
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable centralized collection of Apple device crash and diagnostic reports through your endpoint management platform
- Track application behavior for anomalous threading patterns or repeated invocations of the same system API in tight loops
- Alert on unmanaged applications executing on corporate-owned Apple devices
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-65360
Immediate Actions Required
- Update all Apple devices to iOS 26.7, iPadOS 26.7, macOS Sequoia 15.8, macOS Tahoe 26.7, tvOS 27, visionOS 27, or watchOS 27 as applicable
- Enforce OS update compliance through MDM policies and block enrollment of devices running unpatched versions
- Restrict installation of untrusted applications through application allowlisting and enterprise app policies
Patch Information
Apple released fixes across the platform lineup on 2026-09-14. Refer to the vendor bulletins for version-specific guidance: Apple Security Advisory #149034, #149035, #149036, #149037, #149038, #149041, #149042, and #149043.
Workarounds
- No official workaround exists; patching is the only supported remediation
- Limit application installation sources to the App Store and vetted enterprise distribution channels
- Monitor for and remove any applications that trigger repeated system terminations on affected devices
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
