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iPhone update: The corresponding setting should always be left on "Automatic updates"
Photo: Matthias Kremp / DER SPIEGEL
Did you read our Netzwelt newsletter yesterday?
If not, you can do this here.
My colleague Patrick Beuth had stated that, according to Apple, security researchers agree that iPhones are "the most secure devices on the market," but should by no means be considered unhackable.
Apple had proven this with the "information on the security content of iOS 14.7 and iPadOS 14.7".
Just last week, Apple released version 14.7 of iOS. The document lists how many security problems the update fixes. Noteworthy: 17 of the mentioned vulnerabilities, according to Apple, enabled attackers to execute malicious code on their victim's iPhone. iPhone and iPad users who want to protect their data from attacks and manipulation in the best possible way should install this update immediately.
You should also install the update to iOS 14.7.1 that Apple surprisingly released on Monday evening.
In the general description of the update, Apple only explains that the new version would fix a problem "where iPhone models with Touch ID cannot unlock a paired Apple Watch using the 'Unlock with iPhone' function." But that alone would hardly have enough to push the next version so shortly after iOS 14.7.
Not only iPhones are affected
And so it says in the accompanying text that the update contains "important security updates" and is "recommended to all users".
What this is all about is explained on another Apple site.
According to this, an error in the memory management of the software enabled malicious software, ultimately possibly viruses, Trojans or ransomware, to be smuggled onto Apple devices.
What makes Apple's tip particularly noteworthy is the sentence "Apple is aware of a report that this problem could have been actively exploited." The anonymous security expert who pointed out the vulnerability to the company apparently also provided evidence that attackers had already found it used to smuggle malware into Apple devices.
more on the subject
iPhone Security: Apple's List of Evil A Netzwelt newsletter from Patrick Beuth
Malicious software on smartphones: thousands of people are victims of dangerous spam SMS by Max Hoppenstedt every day
German REvil victims report: It gets so bad when cyber blackmailers paralyze the systemBy Patrick Beuth and Martin Hesse
In addition to iPhones, iPads and Mac computers are also affected by the vulnerability, which is why Apple has released updates to iPadOS 14.7.1 and macOS Big Sur 11.5.1 in addition to the update to iOS 14.7.1.
As I said, if you care about your data, install the relevant updates today.
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