{"id":"CVE-2026-86946","kind":"vulnerability","aliases":["CVE-2026-86946"],"related":[],"title":"macOS: use-after-free lets an app crash the system or corrupt kernel memory","description":"A use-after-free issue was addressed with improved memory management. This issue is fixed in macOS Golden Gate 27.2, macOS Sequoia 15.8.2, macOS Tahoe 26.7.2. An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination or corrupt kernel memory.","summary":"A use-after-free flaw in macOS lets a local app cause unexpected system termination or corrupt kernel memory. Apple fixed it in macOS Golden Gate 27.2, Sequoia 15.8.2 and Tahoe 26.7.2.","severity":"unknown","cvss":null,"epss":null,"exploited":false,"exploited_at":null,"products":[],"ecosystems":[],"tags":["apple-silicon","infrastructure","intel-mac","macos"],"not_affected_if":["already-patched"],"how_to_check":"- Run `sw_vers -productVersion` and compare against the fixed releases: `27.2`, `15.8.2`, `26.7.2`\n- unknown","fix":"- Update macOS to `27.2` (Golden Gate), `15.8.2` (Sequoia) or `26.7.2` (Tahoe) or later via System Settings > General > Software Update","status":"open","published_at":"2026-10-26T21:20:32+00:00","first_seen_at":"2026-10-26T21:55:22+00:00","triaged_at":"2026-10-26T21:56:49+00:00","updated_at":"2026-10-26T21:56:49+00:00","category":"infrastructure","confidence":0.5,"triage":{"at":"2026-10-26T21:56:49Z","model":"claude-haiku-5-5","output":{"fix":"- Update macOS to `27.2` (Golden Gate), `15.8.2` (Sequoia) or `26.7.2` (Tahoe) or later via System Settings > General > Software Update","reach":"local","title":"macOS: use-after-free lets an app crash the system or corrupt kernel memory","impact":"high","summary":"A use-after-free flaw in macOS lets a local app cause unexpected system termination or corrupt kernel memory. Apple fixed it in macOS Golden Gate 27.2, Sequoia 15.8.2 and Tahoe 26.7.2.","category":"infrastructure","nicknames":[],"who_cares":["macos","apple-silicon","intel-mac"],"confidence":0.5,"needs_auth":"unknown","worst_case":"Kernel memory corrupted, or the system terminates unexpectedly","analyst_note":"Check the Apple security notes for CVE-2026-86946 for the affected component, trigger conditions and whether it is reachable from a sandboxed app.","how_to_check":"- Run `sw_vers -productVersion` and compare against the fixed releases: `27.2`, `15.8.2`, `26.7.2`\n- unknown","needs_analyst":true,"not_affected_if":["already-patched"],"who_is_affected":"Any Mac running a macOS release older than the fixed versions can be affected, since the flaw is in the kernel path an installed app can reach. The sources do not say which configuration or feature is required to trigger it, and they do not describe a remote path. Machines already on the fixed releases can skip it.","user_interaction":"unknown","needs_special_setup":"unknown","severity_if_unknown":"unknown"},"cost_usd":0.000618,"input_tokens":3287,"output_tokens":578,"severity_before":"unknown"},"analyst_status":null,"analyst_note":null,"search":"'-2026':17A,20A '-86946':18A,21A '15.8.2':59B,86C '26.7.2':62B,89C '27.2':57B,83C 'abl':94C 'address':70C 'app':8A,41B,91C 'appl':23B,50B 'apple-silicon':22B 'caus':42B,96C 'corrupt':13A,47B,101C 'crash':9A 'cve':16A,19A 'fix':51B,78C 'flaw':35B 'free':5A,34B,67C 'gate':56B,82C 'golden':55B,81C 'improv':72C 'infrastructur':25B 'intel':27B 'intel-mac':26B 'issu':68C,76C 'kernel':14A,48B,102C 'let':6A,38B 'local':40B 'mac':28B 'maco':1A,29B,37B,54B,80C,84C,87C 'manag':74C 'may':92C 'memori':15A,49B,73C,103C 'sequoia':58B,85C 'silicon':24B 'system':11A,44B,98C 'taho':61B,88C 'termin':45B,99C 'unexpect':43B,97C 'use':3A,32B,65C 'use-after-fre':2A,31B,64C","nicknames":[],"mitigations":[],"who_affected":"Any Mac running a macOS release older than the fixed versions can be affected, since the flaw is in the kernel path an installed app can reach. The sources do not say which configuration or feature is required to trigger it, and they do not describe a remote path. Machines already on the fixed releases can skip it.","tier":"C","verified":{},"analyst_revisit_at":null,"first_public_at":"2026-10-26T21:20:32+00:00","kev":null,"cvss_vector":null,"cvss_by":null,"poc_count":0,"sources":[{"source":"nvd","external_id":"CVE-2026-86946","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-86946","severity":null,"published_at":"2026-10-26T21:20:32+00:00","modified_at":"2026-10-26T21:20:32+00:00","first_seen_at":"2026-10-26T21:55:22+00:00","fetched_at":"2026-10-26T21:55:22+00:00","note":null}],"documents":[],"notice":"Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai"}