Home / mailings APPLE-SA-05-11-2026-10 watchOS 26.5
Posted on 12 May 2026
Apple Security-announceAPPLE-SA-05-11-2026-10 watchOS 26.5
watchOS 26.5 addresses the following issues.
Information about the security content is also available at
https://support.apple.com/en-us/127119.
Apple maintains a Security Releases page at
https://support.apple.com/100100 which lists recent
software updates with security advisories.
Accelerate
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: An app may be able to cause a denial-of-service
Description: An out-of-bounds read was addressed with improved bounds
checking.
CVE-2026-28991: Seiji Sakurai (@HeapSmasher)
Accounts
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: An app may be able to bypass certain Privacy preferences
Description: A permissions issue was addressed with additional
restrictions.
CVE-2026-28988: Asaf Cohen
APFS
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination
Description: A buffer overflow was addressed with improved bounds
checking.
CVE-2026-28959: Dave G.
App Intents
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: A malicious app may be able to break out of its sandbox
Description: A logic issue was addressed with improved restrictions.
CVE-2026-28995: Vamshi Paili, Tony Gorez (@tonygo_) for Reverse Society
AppleJPEG
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: Processing a maliciously crafted image may lead to a
denial-of-service
Description: This is a vulnerability in open source code and Apple
Software is among the affected projects. The CVE-ID was assigned by a
third party. Learn more about the issue and CVE-ID at cve.org.
CVE-2026-1837
AppleJPEG
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: Processing a maliciously crafted media file may lead to
unexpected app termination or corrupt process memory
Description: A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved input
validation.
CVE-2026-28956: impost0r (ret2plt)
Audio
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: Processing an audio stream in a maliciously crafted media file
may terminate the process
Description: The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.
CVE-2026-39869: David Ige of Beryllium Security
CoreSymbolication
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: Parsing a maliciously crafted file may lead to an unexpected app
termination
Description: An out-of-bounds access issue was addressed with improved
bounds checking.
CVE-2026-28918: Niels Hofmans, Anonymous working with TrendAI Zero Day
Initiative
ImageIO
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: Processing a maliciously crafted image may corrupt process
memory
Description: A buffer overflow issue was addressed with improved memory
handling.
CVE-2026-43661: an anonymous researcher
ImageIO
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: Processing a maliciously crafted file may lead to unexpected app
termination
Description: The issue was addressed with improved bounds checks.
CVE-2026-28977: Suresh Sundaram
ImageIO
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: Processing a maliciously crafted image may corrupt process
memory
Description: The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.
CVE-2026-28990: Jiri Ha, Arni Hardarson
IOHIDFamily
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: An attacker may be able to cause unexpected app termination
Description: A memory corruption vulnerability was addressed with
improved locking.
CVE-2026-28992: Johnny Franks (@zeroxjf)
IOHIDFamily
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: An app may be able to determine kernel memory layout
Description: A logging issue was addressed with improved data redaction.
CVE-2026-28943: Google Threat Analysis Group
IOKit
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination
Description: A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory
management.
CVE-2026-28969: Mihalis Haatainen, Ari Hawking, Ashish Kunwar
IOSurfaceAccelerator
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination or
read kernel memory
Description: An out-of-bounds read was addressed with improved bounds
checking.
CVE-2026-43655: Somair Ansar and an anonymous researcher
Kernel
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: An app may be able to disclose kernel memory
Description: The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.
CVE-2026-43654: Vaagn Vardanian, Nathaniel Oh (@calysteon)
Kernel
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: A local user may be able to cause unexpected system termination
or read kernel memory
Description: A buffer overflow was addressed with improved input
validation.
CVE-2026-28897: popku1337, Billy Jheng Bing Jhong and Pan Zhenpeng
(@Peterpan0927) of STAR Labs SG Pte. Ltd., Robert Tran, Aswin kumar
Gokulakannan
Kernel
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination or
write kernel memory
Description: An out-of-bounds write issue was addressed with improved
input validation.
CVE-2026-28972: Billy Jheng Bing Jhong and Pan Zhenpeng (@Peterpan0927)
of STAR Labs SG Pte. Ltd., Ryan Hileman via Xint Code (xint.io)
Kernel
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination
Description: A race condition was addressed with additional validation.
CVE-2026-28986: Chris Betz, Tristan Madani (@TristanInSec) from Talence
Security, Ryan Hileman via Xint Code (xint.io)
Kernel
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: An app may be able to leak sensitive kernel state
Description: A logging issue was addressed with improved data redaction.
CVE-2026-28987: Dhiyanesh Selvaraj (@redroot97)
LaunchServices
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: A remote attacker may be able to cause a denial of service
Description: A type confusion issue was addressed with improved checks.
CVE-2026-28983: Ruslan Dautov
mDNSResponder
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: A remote attacker may be able to cause unexpected system
termination or corrupt kernel memory
Description: A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory
management.
CVE-2026-43668: Anton Pakhunov, Ricardo Prado
mDNSResponder
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: An attacker on the local network may be able to cause a
denial-of-service
Description: An out-of-bounds write issue was addressed with improved
bounds checking.
CVE-2026-43666: Ian van der Wurff (ian.nl)
SceneKit
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: A remote attacker may be able to cause unexpected app
termination
Description: A buffer overflow was addressed with improved bounds
checking.
CVE-2026-28846: Peter Malone
Spotlight
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: An app may be able to cause a denial-of-service
Description: This issue was addressed with improved checks to prevent
unauthorized actions.
CVE-2026-28974: Andy Koo (@andykoo) of Hexens
Storage
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: An app may be able to access sensitive user data
Description: A race condition was addressed with additional validation.
CVE-2026-28996: Alex Radocea
WebKit
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may prevent Content
Security Policy from being enforced
Description: A validation issue was addressed with improved logic.
WebKit Bugzilla: 308906
CVE-2026-43660: Cantina
WebKit
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may prevent Content
Security Policy from being enforced
Description: The issue was addressed with improved input validation.
WebKit Bugzilla: 308675
CVE-2026-28907: Cantina
WebKit
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an
unexpected Safari crash
Description: The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.
WebKit Bugzilla: 307669
CVE-2026-43658: Do Young Park
WebKit
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an
unexpected process crash
Description: A use-after-free issue was addressed with improved memory
management.
WebKit Bugzilla: 313939
CVE-2026-28883: kwak kiyong / kakaogames
WebKit
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an
unexpected process crash
Description: The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.
WebKit Bugzilla: 308707
CVE-2026-28847: DARKNAVY (@DarkNavyOrg), Anonymous working with TrendAI
Zero Day Initiative, Daniel Rhea
WebKit Bugzilla: 309601
CVE-2026-28904: Luka Ra=C4=8Dki
WebKit Bugzilla: 310880
CVE-2026-28955: wac and Kookhwan Lee working with TrendAI Zero Day
Initiative
WebKit Bugzilla: 310303
CVE-2026-28903: Mateusz Krzywicki (iVerify.io)
WebKit Bugzilla: 309628
CVE-2026-28953: Maher Azzouzi
WebKit Bugzilla: 309861
CVE-2026-28902: Tristan Madani (@TristanInSec) from Talence Security,
Nathaniel Oh (@calysteon)
WebKit Bugzilla: 310207
CVE-2026-28901: Aisle offensive security research team (Joshua Rogers,
Luigino Camastra, Igor Morgenstern, and Guido Vranken), Maher Azzouzi,
Ngan Nguyen of Calif.io
WebKit Bugzilla: 311631
CVE-2026-28913: an anonymous researcher
WebKit
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an
unexpected process crash
Description: The issue was addressed with improved input validation.
WebKit Bugzilla: 310527
CVE-2026-28917: Vitaly Simonovich
WebKit
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an
unexpected Safari crash
Description: A use-after-free issue was addressed with improved memory
management.
WebKit Bugzilla: 310234
CVE-2026-28947: dr3dd
WebKit Bugzilla: 312180
CVE-2026-28942: Milad Nasr and Nicholas Carlini with Claude, Anthropic
Wi-Fi
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: An attacker in a privileged network position may be able to
perform denial-of-service attack using crafted Wi-Fi packets
Description: A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory
management.
CVE-2026-28994: Alex Radocea
zlib
Available for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later
Impact: Visiting a maliciously crafted website may leak sensitive data
Description: An information leakage was addressed with additional
validation.
CVE-2026-28920: Brendon Tiszka of Google Project Zero
Additional recognition
App Intents
We would like to acknowledge Mikael Kinnman for their assistance.
Apple Account
We would like to acknowledge Iv=C3=A1n Savransky, YingQi Shi (@Mas0nShi) =of
DBAppSecurity's WeBin lab for their assistance.
AuthKit
We would like to acknowledge Gongyu Ma (@Mezone0) for their assistance.
CoreUI
We would like to acknowledge Mustafa Calap =E2=80=8B for their =assistance.
ICU
We would like to acknowledge an anonymous researcher for their
assistance.
Kernel
We would like to acknowledge Ryan Hileman via Xint Code (xint.io),
Suresh Sundaram, an anonymous researcher for their assistance.
Libnotify
We would like to acknowledge Ilias Morad (@A2nkF_) for their assistance.
mDNSResponder
We would like to acknowledge Jason Grove for their assistance.
Messages
We would like to acknowledge Jeffery Kimbrow for their assistance.
Siri
We would like to acknowledge Yoav Magid for their assistance.
WebKit
We would like to acknowledge Vitaly Simonovich for their assistance.
Instructions on how to update your Apple Watch software are available at
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT204641
To check the version on your Apple Watch, open the Apple Watch app on
your iPhone and select "My Watch > General > About".
Alternatively, on your watch, select "My Watch > General > About".
All information is also posted on the Apple Security Releases
web site: https://support.apple.com/100100.
This message is signed with Apple's Product Security PGP key,
and details are available at:
https://www.apple.com/support/security/pgp/
