High-severity kernel memory corruption in widely used Apple OSes (iOS/macOS) via network vector; impacts many devices and warrants broad IT notice.
CVE-2026-43686
Use-after-free in Apple NFS client can corrupt kernel via malicious NFS server.
Is CVE-2026-43686 being exploited?
Not confirmed. CVE-2026-43686 does not appear in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which records only exploitation that has been observed and reported publicly. That is evidence of absence of a report, not evidence the flaw is unattacked.
How severe is CVE-2026-43686?
CVE-2026-43686 is rated High with a CVSS score of 8.8. Severity describes how bad exploitation would be, not how likely it is: pair it with exploitation evidence before deciding what to patch first.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-43686?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-43686. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2026-43686 affect?
CVE-2026-43686 affects iOS, iPadOS, macOS Golden Gate/Sequoia/Tahoe, tvOS, and 2 further products or versions. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
What should I do about CVE-2026-43686?
Install Apple security updates immediately; block/untrusted NFS servers until patched.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
Kernel memory corruption from connecting to a malicious NFS server; may cause crashes (DoS) or enable kernel compromise/privilege escalation.
Immediate action required
- affected< 26.7
- affected< 27
- affected< 15.8
- affected< 26.7
- affected< 27
- affected< 27
- affected< 27
- affected< 27
As published in the CVE Program record. A version outside these ranges is not a statement that it is unaffected — vendors sometimes understate a range, and distribution-backported builds carry upstream numbers that do not reflect what was patched into them.