Update your i Phone now — Apple issues a rare warning to i OS users as a new hacker threat is discovered | Tech Radar

Overview

Update your i Phone now — Apple issues a rare warning to i OS users as a new hacker threat is discovered

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Details

Apple has urged users to update their i OS devices as soon as possible

This will protect your i Phone from web attacks and vulnerabilities

Devices running i OS 15 to i OS 26 are already protected

Apple has issued a rare public warning, stating that if you’re running an old version of i OS, you should update your device in order to “protect your i Phone from web attacks.”

The notice has been published in a new security document on Apple’s website. While the company frequently releases security updates and patches to keep customers’ devices secure, it’s unusual for Apple to issue a public call in this manner, which underscores the seriousness of the situation.

In the support document, Apple said that “Security researchers recently identified web-based attacks that target out-of-date versions of i OS through malicious web content. For example, if you’re using an older version of i OS and were to click a malicious link or visit a compromised website, the data on your i Phone might be at risk of being stolen.”

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It comes shortly after Google published details of an i OS exploit it had discovered named Dark Sword, which is being used by both commercial spyware makers and state-sponsored hackers in the wild.

As for Apple’s warning, the firm added that after being made aware of the hack, it “released software updates as quickly as possible for the most recent operating system versions to address vulnerabilities and disrupt such attacks.” That means that if your i Phone is running i OS 15 through i OS 26, you’re already protected because Apple’s security updates have addressed the vulnerabilities in question.

However, if you have an older version of i OS on your device, you should update it as soon as possible in order to get the security patches and keep this exploit at bay.

Apple sought to reassure users of the latest i OS operating systems that “If you have kept your i Phone software up to date, then you are already protected.” Indeed, it noted that “Keeping your software up to date is the single most important thing you can do to maintain the security of your Apple products.”

Because the exploit runs on the web, Safari’s Safe Browsing mode – which is enabled by default – “blocks the malicious URL domains identified in these attacks,” Apple said.

While all of the best i Phones can update to i OS 26, that’s not the case for much older products. But even if your i Phone is too outdated to run i OS 26, you could consider enabling Lockdown Mode (if available). While this restricts what you can do on your i Phone, it offers strong protection that could keep it safe if you can’t install the latest i OS version. However, Apple cautioned that older devices should still be updated to newer operating system versions as soon as possible.

Apple also says it has released a patch for i OS 15 and i OS 16 that specifically addresses the vulnerability mentioned in the support document. Devices on i OS 13 or i OS 14, meanwhile, must be updated to i OS 15, Apple says, in order to be protected. The company added that devices on these operating system versions will also receive an alert to install a Critical Security Update in the coming days.

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To update your i Phone to the latest edition of i OS, open the Settings app and navigate to General > Software Update. Wait for your i Phone to find the update, then tap Update Now. Your i Phone might restart a few times, and the process can take a little while. Also, be sure to back up your i Phone before you begin, just in case anything goes wrong.

The situation highlights just how important it is to keep your i Phone up to date as often as you can. Software updates don’t just contain shiny new features – they could also help keep you safe and ensure your vital information, from credit card numbers to your health data, stays out of the hands of hackers and criminals.

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Alex Blake has been fooling around with computers since the early 1990s, and since that time he's learned a thing or two about tech. No more than two things, though. That's all his brain can hold. As well as Tech Radar, Alex writes for i More, Digital Trends and Creative Bloq, among others. He was previously commissioning editor at Mac Format magazine. That means he mostly covers the world of Apple and its latest products, but also Windows, computer peripherals, mobile apps, and much more beyond. When not writing, you can find him hiking the English countryside and gaming on his PC.

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Key Takeaways

• Update your i Phone now — Apple issues a rare warning to i OS users as a new hacker threat is discovered

• When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission

• Apple has urged users to update their i OS devices as soon as possible

• This will protect your i Phone from web attacks and vulnerabilities

• Devices running i OS 15 to i OS 26 are already protected