CVE-2026-39870

Malicious Image Causing Memory Corruption in macOS Image Processing

Published May 11, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 7.5 High EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
The issue was addressed with improved memory handling. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.7.7, macOS Sonoma 14.8.7, macOS Tahoe 26.5. Processing a maliciously crafted image may corrupt process memory.

Analysis

AI-generated

Technical impact

This vulnerability arises from insufficient memory handling in macOS's image processing subsystem. A maliciously crafted image can corrupt process memory, potentially causing application crashes or other unintended behavior. The weakness aligns with classic buffer overflow conditions outlined by CWE-119.

Affected Systems

Apple macOS systems running any version older than Sequoia 15.7.7, Sonoma 14.8.7, or Tahoe 26.5 are affected, as the patch was incorporated in those releases.

Risk and Exploitability

The CVSS score of 7.5 denotes a medium‑high severity, while the EPSS score of less than 1% suggests a low probability of exploitation. The vulnerability is not listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Based on the description, it is inferred that an attacker would deliver a malicious image through user‑controllable inputs such as files, network traffic, or web content; no public exploit has been documented, but the lack of automatic mitigations means local or remote attackers capable of influencing image input could potentially exploit the flaw.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record.

OpenCVE Recommended Actions

  • Update macOS to the latest releases (Sequoia 15.7.7, Sonoma 14.8.7, or Tahoe 26.5) that include the memory‑handling fix.
  • Disallow the loading of untrusted images or route image processing through a sandboxed environment if possible.
  • If third‑party image libraries are in use, ensure they are updated to versions that address this issue.

Generated by OpenCVE AI on May 13, 2026 at 00:52 UTC.

Tracking

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Advisories

No advisories available
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:apple:macos:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Type Values Removed Values Added
Title Malicious Image Causing Memory Corruption in macOS Image Processing
Type Values Removed Values Added
Title Memory Corruption from Maliciously Crafted Image Processing in macOS
Weaknesses CWE-122
CWE-125
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-119
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N'}

ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Title Memory Corruption from Maliciously Crafted Image Processing in macOS
First Time appeared Apple
Apple macos
Weaknesses CWE-122
CWE-125
Vendors & Products Apple
Apple macos
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description The issue was addressed with improved memory handling. This issue is fixed in macOS Sequoia 15.7.7, macOS Sonoma 14.8.7, macOS Tahoe 26.5. Processing a maliciously crafted image may corrupt process memory.
References
Weaknesses
  • CWE-119

    Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
apple
Published
Updated
May 12, 2026, 6:30 PM
Reserved
Apr 7, 2026, 7:58 PM
Status
Analyzed
Published
May 11, 2026, 9:18 PM
Modified
Oct 26, 2026, 6:10 PM