CVE-2026-28895

Physical protected-app access via passcode fallback

Published Mar 25, 2026 · Updated Mar 25, 2026

Access control weakness in Apple iOS before 26.4 allows physically proximate attackers to open biometrics-gated Protected Apps with a passcode. Apple identifies the App Protection component and says improved checks resolved the issue, but has not disclosed which passcode-validation operation failed. Exploitation requires physical possession of an iPhone 11 or later with Stolen Device Protection enabled and exposes only apps configured to require biometrics.

CVSS severity4.6
Medium
EPSS probability0.19%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Access control weakness in Apple iOS before 26.4 allows physically proximate attackers to open biometrics-gated Protected Apps with a passcode. Apple identifies the App Protection component and says improved checks resolved the issue, but has not disclosed which passcode-validation operation failed. Exploitation requires physical possession of an iPhone 11 or later with Stolen Device Protection enabled and exposes only apps configured to require biometrics.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-28895
Published
Mar 25, 2026
Updated
Mar 25, 2026
Vendor
Apple
Product
iOS and iPadOS
Classifications
CWE-284
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
unauthenticated

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

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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 vectorphysical
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Apple · iOS and iPadOSversion=0 <26.4

Published CVSS scores

4.6CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

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.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorphysical
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-284Improper Access Control

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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