Apple Patches Critical Zero-Day Flaw Actively Exploited in Attacks
▼ Summary
– Apple has released fixes for a zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2026-20700) in its dyld component that was exploited in sophisticated, targeted attacks.
– The vulnerability is a memory corruption issue that could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected devices.
– Two related WebKit vulnerabilities (CVE-2025-14174 and CVE-2025-43529) were also addressed, with all three reported by Google’s Threat Analysis Group.
– The fix is available for devices running the latest OS versions, while users on older branches must wait for it to be backported.
– Despite the attacks being targeted, Apple advises all users to update their devices promptly.
Apple has issued crucial security updates to address a serious zero-day vulnerability that was actively exploited in targeted cyberattacks. This flaw, identified as CVE-2026-20700, is a memory corruption weakness within dyld, the Dynamic Link Editor component central to Apple’s operating systems. The vulnerability could enable an attacker with memory write access to run arbitrary code on a compromised device. The company confirmed it is aware of reports indicating this issue was leveraged in what it described as an “extremely sophisticated attack” aimed at specific individuals using versions of iOS predating iOS 26.
In addition to this primary flaw, Apple also released patches for two related WebKit vulnerabilities, CVE-2025-14174 and CVE-2025-43529. All three security holes were discovered and reported by the Google Threat Analysis Group (TAG), a specialized team within Google dedicated to monitoring and countering advanced, often state-sponsored, cyber threats. Specific details regarding the nature of these attacks and the identities of the targeted individuals remain confidential at this time.
The necessary security patches are now available for users on the most recent operating system versions across Apple’s product ecosystem. This includes iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro devices. For individuals still running slightly older OS branches, specifically iOS 18.7.5, iPadOS 18.7.5, macOS Sequoia 15.7.4, and macOS Sonoma 14.8.4, the fixes are expected to be backported in forthcoming updates. Although Apple characterized these incidents as highly targeted, security experts strongly recommend that all users install the latest updates immediately to protect their devices from potential exploitation. Keeping software current is a fundamental step in maintaining robust digital security.
(Source: HelpNet Security)
