Update your iPhone and iPad TODAY! (again)
Category
Vulnerabilities
Risk Level
Apple released a critical security update for iOS and iPadOs today to patch multiple zero-day vulnerabilities. If you read no further, update your iPhone and/or iPad NOW!
“A zero what now?”
You may remember from another ACT post that vulnerabilities are holes in your electronic devices’ code that when left unpatched, can allow hackers to use them to their advantage; like an open back door on your house.
Often times, companies will identify these holes and fix them before a hacker can ever use them. If you keep your devices updated, you reduce the risk of this ever causing you a problem.
But a zero-day vulnerability is one that companies don’t know about, and hackers have discovered first. They are rare, but they do happen. Apple says these vulnerabilities may have already been exploited.
If you’re keeping count, 7 of the 21 zero-day vulnerabilities in 2021 have been on Apple devices, which means you need to stay on top of your updates.
“So what do I do?”
In short, update your iPhone. Go to Settings > General > Software Update and download and install the latest iOS/iPadOS version - 14.5.1.
While you’re on that screen and waiting for your download to finish, click on Automatic Updates and turn on the switches for Download iOS Updates and Install iOS Updates so that your phone will stay up to date automatically. Same goes for Download iPadOS Updates and Install iPadOS Updates.
Ready to be a cybersecurity champion? Go to Settings > App Store and turn on the switch for App Updates so that all your apps stay up to date automatically too.
“What’s the update doing?”
This fix is meant to address arbitrary code execution exploits present in WebKit; Apple’s framework that renders most of the web content you see on your device. More simply, the updates patch a hole that let malicious websites run unchecked code on your device (which isn’t a good thing).
“Got it. Is there a better way for my organization to stay on top of this?”
There is! If your organization is trying to understand where you’re missing updates and are vulnerable, whether it’s iPhones or a server, let’s talk about our Vulnerability Assessment today. We’ll help you identify where things are at risk, and set you up for success moving into the future!
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