Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/NurPhoto
Topics: Apple, Technology
Poppy Bilderbeck
Apple has urged users to update their iOS after identifying two 'extremely sophisticated attacks'.
Apple revealed the latest iOS update in a post to its website yesterday (April 16). If you've already noticed the Software Update available on your phone, you'll have seen a small description about iOS 18.4.1
Softening the blow slightly before diving into the nitty gritty, the update for iOS 18.4.1. reads: "This update introduces eight new emojis, a new Sketch Style option in Image Playground, recipes in Apple News+ and enhancements to better organise and filter your library in Photos.
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"This release includes other features, bug fixes and security updates for your iPhone.
Granted, emojis and new Sketch Style options are great and all that, but if you're a bit more concerned about the 'bug fixes and security updates', then don't fret because we did some deep-diving for you.
On it's website's page titled 'About the security content of iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1', Apple notes: "For our customers' protection, Apple doesn't disclose, discuss, or confirm security issues until an investigation has occurred and patches or releases are available. Recent releases are listed on the Apple security releases page."
Thankfully, the investigation has occurred and problems have been identified.
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Apple's report continues identifying two iPhone security flaws which the iOS 18.4.1 update will better protect users against.
But what are they?
Well, Apple's site details the two security flaws as being to do with its CoreAudio and RPAC components - to do with memory corruption issue.
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CoreAudio is 'available for: iPhone XS and later, iPad Pro 13-inch, iPad Pro 13.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 7th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later'.
The attack on the CoreAudio is detailed by Apple as being 'an extremely sophisticated attack against against specific targeted individuals on iOS' and could see 'code execution' occur if an audio stream is processed in a 'maliciously crafted media file'.
RPAC is 'available for: iPhone XS and later, iPad Pro 13-inch, iPad Pro 13.9-inch 3rd generation and later, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 7th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later'.
Apple details it discovered an attacker 'with arbitrary read and write capability may be able to bypass Pointer Authentication'.
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"Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on iOS," it reiterated.
Thankfully, iOS 18.4.1 has resolved both issues, Apple noting the 'memory corruption issue' with CoreAudio was 'addressed with improved bounds checking' and the RPAC issue was 'addressed by removing the vulnerable code'.
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UNILAD has contacted Apple for further comment.