Apple iOS 18.5 With Over 30 Security Fixes Out Now — Update To Protect Your iPhone From Attackers
If you're an iPhone user of XS or later models, you might want to update your device right away.
Apple has released iOS 18.5 for users, providing a few notable updates but offering a host of security fixes.
One of the most noteworthy features of iOS 18.5 is it enables the iPhone 13 series to utilise carrier-provided satellite messaging capabilities. Additionally, it sends parents a notification if Screen Time passcode is used on a device used by a child.
More than anything else, iOS 18.5 fixes over 30 security vulnerabilities, including some that can be misused by cybercriminals. So, if you're an iPhone user of XS or later models, you might want to update your device right away.
Below are the main security issues addressed in the iOS 18.5 release:
FaceTime: The first problem was even when the microphone was on mute during a FaceTime call, audio was not silenced. The other issue addressed includes denial-of-service when processing web content.
iCloud Document Sharing: A crucial vulnerability, in which an attacker could turn on sharing of an iCloud folder without authentication, was fixed through additional entitlement checks.
Notes: In the crucial Notes vulnerabilities fixed by Apple, an attacker having your iPhone physically could access notes from the lock screen or a deleted call recording.
Call History: The privacy issue caused call history from deleted apps to still appear in spotlight search results, which has now been fixed by Apple.
Mail: There was an issue with processing emails, which may cause user interface spoofing.
Core Bluetooth: The update fixes a security issue where an app may be able to access sensitive user data.
CoreAudio: This vulnerability causes file parsing to lead to an unexpected app termination.
CoreMedia: CoreMedia issues addressed include file parsing causing app termination and malicious video file processing leading to app termination or corrupt process memory.
CoreGraphics: In this vulnerability, file parsing caused “out-of-bounds read,” meaning disclosure of user information, which Apple has fixed with improved bounds checking.
Kernel: In these issues, attackers could carry out system or app termination or corrupt kernel memory.
WebKit (Multiple Vulnerabilities): Apple has also addressed multiple security issues with WebKit, wherein malicious web content could cause memory corruption, Safari crash or process crash, and even user data exfiltration by malicious websites.
