iOS 17.6 Fixes These 30 Vulnerabilities
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We’re all waiting for iOS 18 to arrive, but that doesn’t mean we’re done with iOS 17 yet. If you haven’t updated your iPhone to the latest iOS 17 update, we recommend you do so as soon as possible.
The reason? Apple revealed that this software update fixes over 30 different security vulnerabilities that you have on your iPhone.
Yes, you read that right: 30 security issues that someone with the right knowledge and access could use to get into your iPhone.
iOS 17.6.1 Is Here, And You Should Install it ASAP
Like every software update, the Cupertino company shared all the new security improvements iOS 17.6 is bringing to the table. What makes this software update stand out is the number of issues it fixes. More specifically, it patches many different security vulnerabilities we didn’t even know we had.
We didn’t know about this because of Apple. As the company puts it, Apple doesn’t share any information about security issues until it has researched them and released patches so no one can take advantage of them.
For our customers’ protection, Apple doesn’t disclose, discuss, or confirm security issues until an investigation has occurred and patches or releases are available.Apple
So, it makes sense that Apple kept this a secret so its customers wouldn’t be targeted even more with these vulnerabilities. However, now that Apple has published its release notes, it’s more important than ever that you ensure your iPhone is up to date; after all, it’s just broadcast these flaws to the world, so you can bet money that cybercrooks will be trying to exploit folks who are still running vulnerable older versions of iOS.
What Issues Does iOS 17.6 Fix?
As we mentioned, iOS 17.6 addresses a long list of security issues. To learn more about the specifics, you can visit Apple’s website and see all the security flaws this update fixes.
However, if you’re not that tech-savvy, all you really need to know is that these vulnerabilities should be taken care of by now. With that said, there are a few vulnerabilities worth mentioning.
For instance, as reported by Forbes, iOS 17.6 is taking care of two important Kernel issues in your iPhone, identified as CVE-2024-27863 and CVE-2024-40788. Both of these issues left your iPhone vulnerable to a possible attack from someone who has access to it.
If the attacker had physical access to your iPhone, they could use these vulnerabilities to unexpectedly shut down your iPhone systems whenever they wanted.
Apple also fixed some issues with iOS’s WebKit, the framework developers can use to integrate web content into their apps. To be more specific, an issue was identified as CVE-2024-40785, which left your iPhone vulnerable to a cross-site scripting attack.
This attack basically lets a cybercriminal “inject” a malicious script of code into any website — even an innocent one — and use that to possibly install malware on your iPhone. Since this attack was hidden inside a regular website, your iPhone wouldn’t have been able to protect you from it until iOS 17.6 arrived.
Apple has also released iOS 17.6.1, and while that doesn’t provide fixes for any security vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers, it does address some bugs related to Advanced Data Protection, which lets you ensure your data stored in iCloud is securely encrypted.
Your iPhone Isn’t the Only One Getting Safer
iOS 17.6 isn’t the only software update worth installing right now. In fact, if you have more Apple devices and you want to be safer, you should install the latest software updates right now.
For instance, iPadOS 17.6 gets the same protection as iOS 17.6, which means you need to install it to keep your iPad safe from over 30 vulnerabilities.
Your Mac is also getting a much-needed update. Thanks to macOS Sonoma 14.6, 69 security bugs have been fixed. On the other hand, if you’re using macOS Ventura or macOS Monterrey, you should install at least macOS 13.6.8 or macOS 12.7.6, which address 45 and 41 security issues, respectively.
Last but not least, watchOS 10.6. This software update for your Apple Watch fixes over 29 security-related bugs, which means you should also install it as soon as you can.
How to Install iOS 17.6.1
If you’re ready to make your iPhone more secure with just a few taps, then we recommend you install at least iOS 17.6.1 by doing the following:
- Open the Settings app.
- Go to General.
- Tap on Software Update
- If there’s an iOS 17 software update, tap on Install Now.
Of course, while we’re talking about iOS 17.6.1 right now, you’re better off installing any available software update. For instance, Apple also released iOS 16.7.9 to address 26 security-related issues for older iPhones that can’t run iOS 17.
Your iPhone Is Never Completely Safe
Remember that these are only some of the issues that Apple discovered and fixed by the time iOS 17.6.1 was available. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t other issues present. We won’t know about them until Apple releases security notes in the next software update — but we can only hope that malicious hackers don’t know about them either.
The point is that you should still be careful when using your iPhone. Don’t open links unless you’re completely sure they’re legit, and be careful when you leave your iPhone with someone else.
Do Your Part to Stay Safe
Apple is actively trying to make your iPhone more secure than ever, but that doesn’t mean that your security doesn’t also depend on you.
You also need to do your part and install any software update that your iPhone supports as soon as possible. iOS 17.6.1 is one of the latest examples, but most software updates will help your iPhone improve its security and performance or just add some cool new features.
