CVE-2015-3686
Description
CoreText in Apple iOS before 8.4 and OS X before 10.10.4 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via a crafted text file, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-3685, CVE-2015-3687, CVE-2015-3688, and CVE-2015-3689.
AI Insight
LLM-synthesized narrative grounded in this CVE's description and references.
CoreText memory corruption in Apple iOS before 8.4 and OS X before 10.10.4 allows arbitrary code execution via crafted text file.
Vulnerability
CoreText in Apple iOS before 8.4 and OS X before 10.10.4 contains a memory corruption vulnerability when processing crafted text files. This issue affects iOS 8.3 and earlier, OS X Yosemite 10.10.3 and earlier, and iTunes on Windows 7 and later [1][2][3].
Exploitation
An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by delivering a specially crafted text file to the target. No authentication is required if the user opens the file, e.g., via email or web download. The precise vector is not disclosed but typical CoreText processing is reached when rendering fonts or text.
Impact
Successful exploitation leads to arbitrary code execution or denial of service. The attacker gains the privileges of the application using CoreText, potentially full system access on iOS or OS X [1][2]. This vulnerability is one of several reported by John Villamil and the Yahoo Pentest Team [3].
Mitigation
Apple addressed this vulnerability in iOS 8.4, OS X Yosemite 10.10.4, and iTunes 12.3 [1][2][3]. Users should update to these versions. No workaround is available for unpatched systems.
AI Insight generated on May 23, 2026. Synthesized from this CVE's description and the cited reference URLs; citations are validated against the source bundle.
Affected products
5- Range: <8.4
- Range: <10.10.4
Patches
0No patches discovered yet.
Vulnerability mechanics
AI mechanics synthesis has not run for this CVE yet.
References
8- lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2015/Jun/msg00001.htmlnvdPatchVendor Advisory
- lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2015/Jun/msg00002.htmlnvdPatchVendor Advisory
- lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2015/Sep/msg00003.htmlnvdPatchVendor Advisory
- support.apple.com/kb/HT204941nvdVendor Advisory
- support.apple.com/kb/HT204942nvdVendor Advisory
- support.apple.com/HT205221nvdVendor Advisory
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/75491nvd
- www.securitytracker.com/id/1032760nvd
News mentions
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