Old iOS is Dangerous, Apple Recommends You Immediately Update to iOS 17.3

Mytips.id - Apple has released iOS 17.3, along with a warning to update now. This is because iOS 17.3 addresses 16 security issues, one of which has already been exploited in a real-life attack. 

Apple has not provided much detail on what exactly was fixed in iOS 17.3, in order to allow as many iPhone users as possible to update their devices before more attackers can learn the details.

Tracked as CVE-2024-23222, the issue that was already exploited in iOS 17.3 is a vulnerability in WebKit, the engine that powers Apple's Safari browser, which allows attackers to execute code. 

"Apple is aware of reports that this issue may have been exploited," said the iPhone maker on its support page.

Apple has also addressed three other WebKit vulnerabilities as part of the security enhancements in iOS 17.3, two of which can lead to code execution. 

Another noteworthy fix in iOS 17.3 is a Kernel vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2024-23208, which allows adversaries to execute arbitrary code with Kernel privileges through an application.

The security enhancements in iOS 17.3 come after Apple issued several emergency updates, some of which patched vulnerabilities used in spyware attacks. 

This indicates that adversaries are compromising iPhones through what is known as "zero-click" attacks that do not require any user interaction and often exploit vulnerabilities in WebKit.

It is unusual for Apple to include urgent fixes—fixes that have already been exploited in attacks—as part of a major upgrade like iOS 17.3. This may be due to various reasons, but it could simply be a coincidence.