Apple warns iPhone users of serious security risks, tells them to update to iOS 18.5 immediately

India Today

2 days ago

Apple has released the iOS 18.5 update for eligible iPhones. With the new update, the company has also issued an urgent warning, advising users to update their devices to iOS 18.5 immediately. The warning comes in light of serious security vulnerabilities discovered in previous versions of the operating system. Apple says it has pushed the iOS 18.5 update to fix multiple critical flaws that could have allowed remote attackers to take control of a device.advertisementDetailing the discovered vulnerabilities, Apple, in its security note, reveals that among the most concerning issues patched in iOS 18.5 is a vulnerability in the Baseband component on the iPhone 16e. This vulnerability could let attackers in a privileged network position intercept network traffic. 'This issue was addressed through improved state management,' says Apple.Another major flaw involved the Call History system, where deleted call logs from uninstalled apps still appeared in Spotlight search results, posing a privacy risk. Additionally, Apple reveals that it has also resolved a Core Bluetooth flaw that could allow unauthorised apps to access sensitive user data, along with CoreAudio and CoreMedia bugs that could lead to app crashes through specially crafted files.
Meanwhile, the US tech giant has also patched a serious issue affecting FaceTime—muting the microphone during a call didn't always stop audio transmission. Additionally, the company has also fixed the flaws in the iCloud Document Sharing system that could have let attackers enable folder sharing without the user's permission, raising serious concerns around unauthorised data access.advertisementBut the security fixes are not the only updates in iOS 18.5. The update also includes a range of under-the-hood upgrades and feature refinements. One such update, the company reveals, improves Spotlight search privacy by excluding deleted app data from results. In the Notes app, the update tightens access controls to prevent viewing notes or call recordings from the lock screen, especially in scenarios where a device might fall into the wrong hands.Apple has also introduced a Pride-themed wallpaper for iPhones, along with a Pride Edition Watch Band– which is available for purchase. The iOS 18.5 also brings performance improvements across the system and further enhances compatibility of iPhone with upcoming apps and services.iOS 18.5 availabilityThe iOS 18.5 update is available for all devices from the iPhone XS and newer. Apple strongly urges users to navigate to Settings > General > Software Update and install the update without delay. iPad users with compatible models—including iPad Pro (3rd gen and later), iPad Air (3rd gen and later), iPad mini (5th gen and later), and iPad (7th generation and up)—are also advised to upgrade to iPadOS 18.5, which includes the same critical fixes.