CVE-2026-43694

Apple · macOS

A memory handling vulnerability in macOS Sequoia, Sonoma, and Tahoe allows applications to trigger system termination or write to kernel memory.

Executive summary

A critical memory handling vulnerability in macOS allows applications to cause system crashes or execute arbitrary writes to kernel memory, leading to potential loss of system integrity.

Vulnerability

This is a memory handling flaw that allows an application to perform unauthorized kernel memory writes. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable without authentication, presenting a severe risk to system stability and security.

Business impact

With a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical), this vulnerability allows attackers to bypass standard security boundaries. The ability to write to kernel memory could facilitate privilege escalation or persistent system control, creating a high risk of long-term data breach or service disruption.

Remediation

Immediate Action: Apply the vendor-provided updates (macOS Sequoia 15.7.8, macOS Sonoma 14.8.8, or macOS Tahoe 26.6) to all vulnerable systems.

Proactive Monitoring: Monitor for unusual application behavior or system-level crashes that may signal an attempt to exploit kernel memory vulnerabilities.

Compensating Controls: Restrict the execution of untrusted or unauthorized applications to reduce the attack surface for kernel-level exploits.

Exploitation status

Public Exploit Available: No

Analyst recommendation

This is a critical vulnerability that demands urgent attention from IT security departments. Administrators must prioritize the installation of the latest macOS updates to address the underlying memory handling issues and secure the kernel against unauthorized modification.