A branch of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Thursday advised Americans and companies to update their iPhones and other Apple devices due to potentially serious security problems.
Apple has long said it does not disclose or provide details about the nature of the security flaws, doing so again during the recent update. “For our customers’ protection, Apple doesn’t disclose, discuss, or confirm security issues until an investigation has occurred and patches or releases are available,” it said.
After the update, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) advised that the firm released “security updates to address vulnerabilities in Safari, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS” and that a “cyber threat actor could exploit some of these vulnerabilities to take control of an affected system.”
The agency then advised users and administrators to apply the “necessary updates.” The updates apply to Safari 17.4, macOS Sonoma 14.4, macOS Ventura 13.6.5, macOS Monterey 12.7.4, watchOS 10.4, tvOS 17.4, and visionOS 1.1.
Stolen Device Protection Update
Apple said that the newest update will impact the device’s Stolen Device Protection, which was introduced in a recent iOS update. The service will include an option for more security in all locations.Other Changes
This week, Apple also overhauled its iPhone App Store in the European Union in a bid to comply with EU law. Among other things, people in Europe can download iPhone apps from stores not operated by Apple and are getting alternative ways to pay for in-app transactions, which Apple has long prohibited.Apple has said that the new EU regulations president unnecessary security risks to iPhone users in Europe, exposing them to more scams and other malicious attacks launched from apps downloaded from outside its ecosystems and raising the specter of more unsavory services peddling pornography, illegal drugs, and other content that the company has long prohibited in its App Store.
How to Update
The update will be automatic for many iPhone users, but it depends on their phone settings.Users can go to the iPhone’s Settings before tapping General, then tapping Software Update to download and install iOS 17.4 as well as the aforementioned security fixes. That download can be accessed regardless of whether the user has automatic updates turned on or off.