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Apple iOS, iPadOS, macOS, visionOS EUVDEUVD-2026-29304

| CVE-2026-43659 MEDIUM
Race Condition (CWE-362)
2026-05-11 apple GHSA-5c55-3jwg-4fc5
4.7
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: apple
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Access
    Obtain user-level account access
  2. Delivery
    Identify vulnerable race window in system service
  3. Exploit
    Craft exploit thread synchronization
  4. Execution
    Trigger race condition between validation and data access
  5. Persist
    Read protected user data
  6. Impact
    Exfiltrate sensitive information

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A06:2025 - Insecure Design
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Concurrency control, locking
MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique across 1 tactic: Privilege Escalation

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Exploitation Conditions

Exploitation requires local system access as an authenticated user-level account (PR:L) on an unpatched device running iOS, iPadOS, macOS, or visionOS version below the patched threshold. The attacker must identify a vulnerable race condition in a system service that manages access to sensitive data, then successfully manipulate timing to access protected resources. The race condition is not exploitable remotely; an attacker must first obtain user-level credentials or physical access to an unlocked device. The high complexity (AC:H) reflects the difficulty of triggering the race condition reliably - exploitation likely requires multiple attempts and precise synchronization across threads or processes. Default configurations are vulnerable, but exploitation is limited to attackers who already have foothold access to the system.

Impact

Risk signals present conflicting indicators: the CVSS score of 4.7 with high confidentiality impact (C:H) and local attack vector (AV:L) suggests moderate severity, yet the EPSS score of 0.02% in the 7th percentile indicates minimal exploitation likelihood. No CISA KEV status is provided, suggesting this is not yet confirmed as actively exploited. The local attack vector requirement and high complexity (AC:H) significantly constrain real-world exploitation compared to network-accessible vulnerabilities. The CVSS vector PR:L and UI:N indicate authentication as a user-level account is required, eliminating complete remote exploitation chains. The combination of local-only access, high complexity, low EPSS, and absence of publicly disclosed POC or active exploitation suggests this is a low priority compared to network-exploitable or simple-to-exploit vulnerabilities. However, the high confidentiality impact means compromised systems could expose sensitive user data; defenders should prioritize patching based on system criticality and whether local attackers (compromised user accounts, physical access) are credible threats in their environment.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An authenticated attacker with a legitimate user account on a macOS Sonoma system exploits a race condition in a system service that manages access to protected user files. By spawning multiple threads that repeatedly attempt to access a file just after its permissions are checked but before it is accessed, the attacker wins the race and reads sensitive data (such as photos, messages, or documents) belonging to another user or the system. Success requires precise timing and multiple attempts, making this a high-complexity but feasible exploit for a determined local attacker with user-level access.

This Month Plan within 30 days. Why: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9).
Patch available 0.0% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – May 12, 2026

A race condition in Apple operating systems allows authenticated local attackers to access sensitive user data with high complexity exploitation. The vulnerability affects iOS 18.7.9 and earlier, iPadOS 18.7.9 and earlier, iOS 26.5 and earlier, iPadOS 26.5 and earlier, macOS Sequoia 15.7.7 and earlier, macOS Sonoma 14.8.7 and earlier, macOS Tahoe 26.5 and earlier, and visionOS 26.5 and earlier. Vendor-released patches are available, and exploitation requires local access with user-level privileges and high technical complexity. The EPSS score of 0.02% and absence from active exploitation databases indicate low real-world exploitation risk despite the high confidentiality impact.

RemediationAI

Vendor-released patches are available: upgrade to iOS 18.7.9 or later, iPadOS 18.7.9 or later, iOS 26.5 or later, iPadOS 26.5 or later, macOS Sequoia 15.7.7 or later, macOS Sonoma 14.8.7 or later, macOS Tahoe 26.5 or later, or visionOS 26.5 or later. Enable automatic security updates through Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates on iOS/iPadOS, System Settings > General > Software Update on macOS, or equivalent on visionOS. As a compensating control pending patch deployment, restrict physical access to affected devices and audit user account privileges, removing unnecessary user-level accounts that could serve as pivot points for local exploitation. Limit access to sensitive applications and enforce strong authentication on accounts with access to confidential data. These controls do not eliminate the vulnerability but raise the attacker cost by requiring either physical possession or compromise of an existing user account. See Apple support documents https://support.apple.com/en-us/127110 through https://support.apple.com/en-us/127120 for platform-specific patching guidance.

Affected VersionsENISA

macOS 0 <15.7.7
macOS 0 <26.5
iOS and iPadOS 0 <26.5
visionOS 0 <26.5
macOS 0 <14.8.7
iOS and iPadOS 0 <18.7.9

Affected Packages

euvd ios_and_ipados fix: 18.7.9, 26.5
euvd macos fix: 14.8.7, 15.7.7, 26.5
euvd visionos fix: 26.5

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 3 packages in euvd

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

The vulnerability is rooted in a race condition (CWE-362) where concurrent access to shared resources by multiple processes or threads creates a timing window for unauthorized data access. Race conditions typically occur when multiple threads or processes access and modify shared data without proper synchronization mechanisms, allowing an attacker to exploit the interval between data validation and use. In Apple's operating systems, this race condition permits an application running with standard user privileges to access protected user data through a time-of-check-time-of-use (TOCTOU) vulnerability. The fix involved implementing additional validation controls to eliminate the race window or enforce proper synchronization. The affected CPE entries indicate this impacts the core operating systems across multiple Apple platforms: iOS/iPadOS, macOS variants (Sequoia, Sonoma, Tahoe), and visionOS.

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Severity by source

Vendor (apple) PRIMARY 4.7 MEDIUM
AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

Primary rating from Vendor (apple) · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorVendor: apple

Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
High
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

Lifecycle Timeline

4
CVSS changed
May 12, 2026 - 14:22 NVD
4.7 (MEDIUM)
Patch available
May 11, 2026 - 22:18 EUVD
CVE Published
May 11, 2026 - 20:08 nvd
UNKNOWN (no severity yet)
CVE Published
May 11, 2026 - 20:08 nvd
MEDIUM 4.7

DescriptionCVE.org

A race condition was addressed with additional validation. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.7.9 and iPadOS 18.7.9, iOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5, macOS Sequoia 15.7.7, macOS Sonoma 14.8.7, macOS Tahoe 26.5, visionOS 26.5. An app may be able to access sensitive user data.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.0%
Top 93% exploitable
Data Quality
5 sources
Confidence: Medium

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity MEDIUM
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.0%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Defer
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Small
Automatable
No
Human Impact· derived
Medium
Technical Impact
Partial

Priority Score

24
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: 0
CVSS: +24
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Information disclosure occurs when an application unintentionally exposes sensitive data that aids attackers in reconnaissance or directly compromises security.

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