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major vulnerability· requires attention

Remote kernel memory corruption in widely used macOS; high-impact OS-level flaw affecting many organizations; public fix released.

Systems

CVE-2026-43790

9.1
Critical
EPSS n/aPatch availableSep 17, 2026

Remote macOS kernel memory corruption enabling crashes and potential kernel compromise

common questions

Is CVE-2026-43790 being exploited?

Not confirmed. CVE-2026-43790 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-2026-43790?

CVE-2026-43790 is rated Critical with a CVSS score of 9.1. 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-2026-43790?

Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2026-43790. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.

What does CVE-2026-43790 affect?

CVE-2026-43790 affects Apple macOS (prior to Golden Gate 27 / Sequoia 15.8 / Tahoe 26.7). Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.

What should I do about CVE-2026-43790?

Install Apple security updates (Golden Gate 27 / Sequoia 15.8 / Tahoe 26.7) and reboot immediately.

Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.

executive summary
technical analysis
affected
Apple macOS (prior to Golden Gate 27 / Sequoia 15.8 / Tahoe 26.7)
impact

Remote attacker can corrupt kernel memory or crash systems, potentially enabling privilege escalation or arbitrary code execution.

action required

Immediate action required

affected versions
Apple macOS
  • affected< 15.8
  • affected< 26.7
  • 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.

how to fix
Remediation steps are tailored for users whose stack is affected. Add this technology to your stack to see the fix checklist.
references
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