Beta Profiles

· 46 CVEs

watchOS 26.5 Security Update

watchOS 26.5 fixes 46 vulnerabilities. Every fix, in Apple's words, with what it could have allowed.

What watchOS 26.5 Fixes

watchOS 26.5, released May 11, 2026, fixes 46 vulnerabilities in 22 parts of the system, according to Apple's security advisory.

Apple does not say that any of them were exploited before the fix. That makes watchOS 26.5 a routine security update: worth installing soon, not an emergency.

It has since been superseded: the newest security release for watchOS 26 is watchOS 26.6, from July 27, 2026, which includes these fixes.

What an attacker could doFixes
Elevated privileges or sandbox escape10
Private data or protections bypassed4
Crash or denial of service29
Other3

Grouped by us from the impact Apple gives for each fix; the impact lines below are Apple's own.

Which Devices Get watchOS 26.5

Apple lists watchOS 26.5 for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later.

How to Install watchOS 26.5

Open the Watch app on the paired iPhone, then General → Software Update. The watch needs to be on its charger and within range of the iPhone.

Security fixes are cumulative: any later release for the same version includes these as well, so if you are already past watchOS 26.5 there is nothing to do.

Every Fix in watchOS 26.5

All 46 CVEs in Apple's advisory, the most serious kinds first. Each entry is the part of the system affected, Apple's description of the impact and the fix, and the CVE ID.

  • AirDrop

    An attacker in a privileged network position may be able to cause a denial-of-service

    A reachable assertion was addressed with improved input validation.

    CVE-2026-43667

  • App Intents

    A malicious app may be able to break out of its sandbox

    A logic issue was addressed with improved restrictions.

    CVE-2026-28995

  • IOHIDFamily

    An app may be able to determine kernel memory layout

    A logging issue was addressed with improved data redaction.

    CVE-2026-28943

  • IOSkywalkFamily

    An app may be able to disclose kernel memory

    A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

    CVE-2026-39877

  • IOSurfaceAccelerator

    An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination or read kernel memory

    An out-of-bounds read was addressed with improved bounds checking.

    CVE-2026-43655

  • Kernel

    An app may be able to disclose kernel memory

    The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

    CVE-2026-43654

  • Kernel

    A local user may be able to cause unexpected system termination or read kernel memory

    A buffer overflow was addressed with improved input validation.

    CVE-2026-28897

  • Kernel

    An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination or write kernel memory

    An out-of-bounds write issue was addressed with improved input validation.

    CVE-2026-28972

  • mDNSResponder

    A remote attacker may be able to cause unexpected system termination or corrupt kernel memory

    A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management.

    CVE-2026-43668

  • Wi-Fi

    An attacker in a privileged network position may be able to perform denial-of-service attack using crafted Wi-Fi packets

    A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management.

    CVE-2026-28994

  • Accounts

    An app may be able to bypass certain Privacy preferences

    A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions.

    CVE-2026-28988

  • Kernel

    An app may be able to leak sensitive kernel state

    A logging issue was addressed with improved data redaction.

    CVE-2026-28987

  • Storage

    An app may be able to access sensitive user data

    A race condition was addressed with additional validation.

    CVE-2026-28996

  • zlib

    Visiting a maliciously crafted website may leak sensitive data

    An information leakage was addressed with additional validation.

    CVE-2026-28920

  • Accelerate

    An app may be able to cause a denial-of-service

    An out-of-bounds read was addressed with improved bounds checking.

    CVE-2026-28991

  • APFS

    An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination

    A buffer overflow was addressed with improved bounds checking.

    CVE-2026-28959

  • AppleJPEG

    Processing a maliciously crafted image may lead to a denial-of-service

    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

    Processing a maliciously crafted media file may lead to unexpected app termination or corrupt process memory

    A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved input validation.

    CVE-2026-28956

  • CoreSymbolication

    Parsing a maliciously crafted file may lead to an unexpected app termination

    An out-of-bounds access issue was addressed with improved bounds checking.

    CVE-2026-28918

  • ImageIO

    Processing a maliciously crafted image may corrupt process memory

    A buffer overflow issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

    CVE-2026-43661

  • ImageIO

    Processing a maliciously crafted file may lead to unexpected app termination

    The issue was addressed with improved bounds checks.

    CVE-2026-28977

  • ImageIO

    Processing a maliciously crafted image may corrupt process memory

    The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

    CVE-2026-28990

  • IOHIDFamily

    An attacker may be able to cause unexpected app termination

    A memory corruption vulnerability was addressed with improved locking.

    CVE-2026-28992

  • IOKit

    An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination

    A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management.

    CVE-2026-28969

  • Kernel

    An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination

    A race condition was addressed with additional validation.

    CVE-2026-28986

  • LaunchServices

    A remote attacker may be able to cause a denial of service

    A type confusion issue was addressed with improved checks.

    CVE-2026-28983

  • mDNSResponder

    An attacker on the local network may be able to cause a denial-of-service

    An out-of-bounds write issue was addressed with improved bounds checking.

    CVE-2026-43666

  • SceneKit

    A remote attacker may be able to cause unexpected app termination

    A buffer overflow was addressed with improved bounds checking.

    CVE-2026-28846

  • Spotlight

    An app may be able to cause a denial-of-service

    This issue was addressed with improved checks to prevent unauthorized actions.

    CVE-2026-28974

  • WebKit

    Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an unexpected Safari crash

    The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

    CVE-2026-43658 CVE-2026-28984

  • WebKit

    Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an unexpected process crash

    A use-after-free issue was addressed with improved memory management.

    CVE-2026-28883

  • WebKit

    Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an unexpected process crash

    The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

    CVE-2026-28847 CVE-2026-28904 CVE-2026-28955 CVE-2026-28903 CVE-2026-28953 CVE-2026-28902 CVE-2026-28901 CVE-2026-28913

  • WebKit

    Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an unexpected process crash

    The issue was addressed with improved input validation.

    CVE-2026-28917

  • WebKit

    Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an unexpected Safari crash

    A use-after-free issue was addressed with improved memory management.

    CVE-2026-28947 CVE-2026-28942

  • Audio

    Processing an audio stream in a maliciously crafted media file may terminate the process

    The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

    CVE-2026-39869

  • WebKit

    Processing maliciously crafted web content may prevent Content Security Policy from being enforced

    A validation issue was addressed with improved logic.

    CVE-2026-43660

  • WebKit

    Processing maliciously crafted web content may prevent Content Security Policy from being enforced

    The issue was addressed with improved input validation.

    CVE-2026-28907

watchOS 26 Security Release History

watchOS 26.5 in context: the security releases Apple has published for watchOS 26, newest first, with the number of fixes each carried.

ReleaseReleasedFixes
watchOS 26.6July 27, 2026106
watchOS 26.5May 11, 202646
watchOS 26.4March 24, 202625
watchOS 26.3February 11, 202617 Exploited
watchOS 26.2December 12, 202526 Exploited
watchOS 26.1November 3, 202535
watchOS 26September 15, 202524

The Same Fixes Elsewhere

Apple ships most fixes to every platform that shares the code, and to older versions still under support. These releases close at least one of the same CVEs:

May 11, 2026 · 46 sharediOS 26.5 and iPadOS 26.5 May 11, 2026 · 46 sharedmacOS Tahoe 26.5 May 11, 2026 · 44 sharedtvOS 26.5 May 11, 2026 · 39 sharedvisionOS 26.5 May 11, 2026 · 26 sharediOS 18.7.9 and iPadOS 18.7.9 May 11, 2026 · 20 sharedmacOS Sequoia 15.7.7 May 11, 2026 · 19 sharedmacOS Sonoma 14.8.7 May 13, 2026 · 16 sharedSafari 26.5 August 17, 2026 · 8 sharediOS 18.7.10 and iPadOS 18.7.10 July 27, 2026 · 3 sharedmacOS Sequoia 15.7.8 July 27, 2026 · 3 sharedmacOS Sonoma 14.8.8 October 26, 2026 · 1 sharedmacOS Sequoia 15.8.2

Frequently Asked Questions

What does watchOS 26.5 fix?

46 security vulnerabilities in 22 parts of the system, from Apple's advisory of May 11, 2026.

Was anything fixed in watchOS 26.5 exploited?

Apple does not say so for any of the 46 fixes.

Which devices can install watchOS 26.5?

Apple Watch Series 6 and later.

Is watchOS 26.5 the latest security update?

No. watchOS 26.6, from July 27, 2026, is newer and includes these fixes.

Source: About the security content of watchOS 26.5, Apple. Rechecked automatically while Apple is still adding entries.

Every Apple security update