CVE-2026-20698Public exploit

System crash via PF_ROUTE heap overflow

Published Mar 25, 2026 · Updated Mar 25, 2026

Kernel heap overflow in Apple operating systems before 26.4 allows local users to crash the system or corrupt kernel memory. The XNU route_msg() handler processes an oversized RTA_GENMASK routing-socket attribute without rejecting it, overflowing a kernel heap buffer. An unprivileged app with no entitlements can trigger a kernel panic; public testing demonstrates the crash, while reliable privilege escalation remains unverified.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.33%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Kernel heap overflow in Apple operating systems before 26.4 allows local users to crash the system or corrupt kernel memory. The XNU route_msg() handler processes an oversized RTA_GENMASK routing-socket attribute without rejecting it, overflowing a kernel heap buffer. An unprivileged app with no entitlements can trigger a kernel panic; public testing demonstrates the crash, while reliable privilege escalation remains unverified.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-20698
Published
Mar 25, 2026
Updated
Mar 25, 2026
Vendor
Apple
Product
iOS and iPadOS
Classifications
CWE-787, CWE-119, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 25, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <26.4

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Apple · iOS and iPadOSversion=0 <26.4
Apple · visionOSversion=0 <26.4
Apple · tvOSversion=0 <26.4
Apple · macOSversion=0 <26.4
Apple · watchOSversion=0 <26.4

Published CVSS scores

5.5CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write
CWE-119Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer
T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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