CVE-2026-28928

System termination via Neural Engine use-after-free

Published Jul 27, 2026 · Updated Jul 27, 2026

Use-after-free in Apple Neural Engine in iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS before 26.6 allows local users to terminate the system. Apple identifies the component and memory-lifetime error but has not disclosed the freed object's type or the operation that reuses it. Execution of an app that reaches the vulnerable component is required, and successful exploitation crashes the operating system without a reported data-access or code-execution impact.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability0.58%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in Apple Neural Engine in iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS before 26.6 allows local users to terminate the system. Apple identifies the component and memory-lifetime error but has not disclosed the freed object's type or the operation that reuses it. Execution of an app that reaches the vulnerable component is required, and successful exploitation crashes the operating system without a reported data-access or code-execution impact.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-28928
Published
Jul 27, 2026
Updated
Jul 27, 2026
Vendor
Apple
Product
iOS and iPadOS
Classifications
CWE-416, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 27, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jul 27, 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 <26.6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Apple · iOS and iPadOSversion=0 <26.6
Apple · tvOSversion=0 <26.6
Apple · macOSversion=0 <26.6
Apple · watchOSversion=0 <26.6

Published CVSS scores

9.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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