Latest Round of Apple Security Updates Includes iOS 11.3

After more than a month since the last big “patch day” for Apple products, the Cupertino company has now released to the public a new slew of updates that bring with them both new features and enhanced security. Covering everything from a new and essential update to iOS to important bug fixes in macOS, watchOS, and even Apple’s Xcode, these patches slam shut several open doors hackers might use to wreak havoc. Overall, these patches contain more than 90 fixes. Here’s a quick breakdown of what you can expect when …

Apple Patches Potentially Serious Vulnerability in HomeKit with iOS 11.2.1

In a world filled with “Internet of Things” (IoT) devices, there are security holes everywhere. Apple works hard on the hardened nature of its HomeKit system and the way these third-party devices interface with Apple products. So when news broke in early December that someone had uncovered a zero-day exploit that could allow an attacker to take control of a user’s devices through the Home app, it made headlines across the web.

Though the exact details of the exploit were not released publicly and were described as tough to replicate, this …

Apple Releases iOS 11.1 and Other Important Security Updates

The latest round of Apple security updates arrived on Halloween, delivering everything from iOS 11.1 to updates that affect macOS, watchOS, and more. As is often the case with large patch days, these updates address a wide variety of security flaws affecting different parts of the systems in question. From WebKit vulnerabilities to memory handling issues on the Apple Watch and in macOS, Apple squashed plenty of bugs with this batch of updates. Perhaps one of the most important issues addressed in this round of updates, however, is Apple’s …

The Age of iPhone Jailbreaking is Drawing to a Close

Remember jailbreaking? From the first iPhone, it has been an integral part of the community around the device and even something which has pushed its development forward. Initially, just a way to unlock the phone and release it from the “jail” of an exclusive carrier contract, jailbreaking quickly grew into more. Games made their first appearance on iOS via jailbreaking, and for several years the only way to install custom wallpapers or ringtones on an iPhone was with a jailbreak. Many of the early iterations of the phone were …

Apple Covers All the Bases with Over 100 Security Updates in May

In mid-May, while the world was waking up to deal with the chaos caused by the WannaCry ransomware spreading over the web, Apple was making its users safer again. Released on May 15th, a new set of patches dropped for iOS, macOS Sierra, and both the El Capitan and Yosemite version of OS X. So many different fixes were implemented that  it would be difficult to cover exactly what each of them accomplishes. However, of particular note in this update is the fact that ethical hackers previously identified more …

iPhone Users Beware: New SMS Flaw Can Crash Messages app on all iOS Versions

An issue relating to text message attachments is currently causing severe issues for iPhones across all iOS 10 versions, as well as previous releases. Unlike the infamous 2015 Unicode exploit, in which the body of a message caused a system crash, this new problem creates severe instability in the iPhone’s Messages app. After an initial crash, created by opening a malicious attachment, Messages is unable to recover and restart, even after a hard reboot of the iPhone.

At the root of the flaw is an extremely large phone contacts …

Apple Issues iOS 10.1 to Patch a Critical Web Content Vulnerability

In its newest push to make its iOS products safer, Apple has released iOS update 10.1, featuring an array of twelve different patches for various parts of the system. While details on many of these patches are scant at best, we do know one of the major vulnerabilities patched in this update. Apple took extra steps to close a loophole that could allow what it terms “maliciously crafted web content” to exploit and hijack iOS devices. What exactly does that mean? Put simply; there was a risk that viewing an …

Apple and the FBI Do Battle in Front of Congress

For weeks, Apple and the FBI have been arguing with one another over matters of privacy, cybersecurity, and national security. In February, the FBI issued a court order demanding that Apple help them break the iPhone’s security measures. Specifically, the government wants Apple to write software that would allow the FBI to get around iPhone encryption and other security safeguards.

Right now, the FBI wants to crack the iPhone that belonged to the terrorist behind the San Bernardino, California shooting that took place on December 2, 2015. In …

Apple Updates to Patch Security Flaws for iOS and OS X

Apple’s latest mobile and desktop operating systems, iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan, launched in the second half of September. As of October 22nd, Apple has released updates for both operating systems to patch notable security flaws. The updates, iOS 9.1 and OS X 10.11.1, are essential for users who have updated their Apple devices to the latest operating systems.

According to a report on the updates from eWeek, Apple decided to release quick patches for their latest operating systems after third-party sources—including Google’s Project Zero and Yahoo’s Pentest team—identified …