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Apple releases important updates for iPhones, iPads and Macs

2022-08-19T06:41:49.353Z


If you use Apple devices, you should install the latest version of the operating system. With the updates, the company closes two security gaps that may already be actively exploited.


Enlarge image

iPhones in an Apple store: The update has been released for numerous devices

Photo: PIERO CRUCIATTI / AFP

Apple advises its customers to update their devices.

On Wednesday, the company surprisingly released operating system updates for numerous iPhones and iPads as well as for Mac computers.

The reason for this are two serious vulnerabilities, for which Apple states that, according to a report, they could already have been actively exploited by attackers - which of course increases the urgency of closing the vulnerabilities.

The iPhone operating system iOS and the tablet counterpart iPadOS should be updated to the current version 15.6.1 in the course of the update.

This update is offered for all iPhones from the iPhone 6S, for classic iPads from the 5th generation, for all iPad Pro devices, for all iPad Air devices from the iPad Air 2, for all iPad Mini devices from the iPad Mini 4 and the fifth generation iPod Touch.

There is also a need for action for owners of Mac computers: Apple advises anyone using the macOS Monterey operating system to update it to the new version 12.5.1.

You can check which version of the operating system is running on your iPhone, for example, via the settings menu.

There you go from »General« to »Software update«, there you will be offered updates that have not yet been installed.

At this point, the automatic import of operating system updates can also be activated.

For iOS version 15.6.1 from Wednesday, Apple only says directly on the device that the update contains "important security updates" and is recommended to all users.

Attackers can run arbitrary code

According to additional information on Apple's website, the vulnerabilities affect two important software components: on the one hand the so-called kernel and thus the core of the operating system, on the other hand WebKit, an elementary component of the Safari browser and in general of all browsers on the iPhone.

The kernel problem allows attackers to run arbitrary code with kernel privileges on the target device, while the Webkit vulnerability makes it possible to remotely execute arbitrary code if the attackers have previously been able to lure their victims to crafted websites.

Anyone who drew Apple's attention to the vulnerabilities is not made public, the talk is of "an anonymous researcher".

So far it is unclear when and in what context the gaps could have been exploited.

There have already been problems of a comparable dimension with Apple devices this year.

mbo

Source: spiegel

All tech articles on 2022-08-19

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