Update, October 29, 2024: This story, originally published on October 28, now includes details of the iOS 17.7.1 fix, as well as other Apple patches released with iOS 18.1. It also explains the differences between iOS 18.1 and iOS 17.7.1 for your safety.
Apple has released iOS 18.1 and it comes with a warning to update your iPhone as soon as possible. That's because iOS 18.1 fixes 28 major security flaws affecting Apple's popular devices.
Apple doesn't usually give away many details about what's fixed in its updates, so it's no surprise that details for iOS 18.1 are scant. However, the iPhone maker notes that new upgrade patches are released to WebKit, the kernel at the heart of the iOS operating system and the engine that underpins the Safari browser.
The iOS 18.1 update also comes with Apple Intelligence features, making it an upgrade worth applying for now if you get on the short waiting list of a few hours. Here's what you need to know about the security improvements in iOS 18.1.
iOS 18.1 security improvements
Among the more notable patches, according to Apple's support page, Apple's iOS 18.1 fixes an issue in the kernel, tracked as CVE-2024-44239, that could allow an app to leak sensitive kernel state. able to see.
The iOS 18.1 update patches two WebKit flaws. The first, tracked as CVE-2024-44261, could allow an attacker to view restricted content from the lock screen. The second WebKit vulnerability, CVE-2024-44244, could prevent a content protection policy from being enforced if a user downloads maliciously crafted web content.
The iOS 18.1 upgrade also fixes an issue in App Support tracked as CVE-2024-44255 that could allow a malicious app to run arbitrary shortcuts without user consent.
Meanwhile, iOS 18.1 has fixed three privacy-focused bugs in Apple's Siri, including two that could see an app able to access sensitive data.
Another flaw, CVE-2024-44255, could enable a remote attacker to break out of the web content sandbox.
Why should you update to iOS 18.1?
The list of improvements in iOS 18.1 is large, making it advisable to update your iPhone as soon as possible. If you don't want to update to iOS 18 yet, Apple has also released iOS 17.7.1, fixing similar flaws, but the list of patches is not as extensive.
The iOS 18.1 update was released along with other upgrades for Apple products, including several security patches. The list is extensive: Apple has updated macOS Sequoia 15.1, macOS Sonoma 14.7.1, macOS Ventura 13.7.1, watchOS 11.1, tvOS 18.1, and VisionOS 2.1 for its Vision Pro headsets.
Shawn Wright, head of application security at FeatureSpace, says none of the issues fixed in iOS 18.1 stand as emergencies. “Most vulnerabilities appear to be privacy or information leakage – although in some cases also sensitive information,” he says.
But in most cases, the chances of the flaws being exploited are “extremely low” — especially given the lack of information provided by Apple about the vulnerabilities, Wright admits.
“My advice to people is to update whenever they want, with the added benefit of seeing some new AI features included in this release,” he says.
I agree – staying up to date with security upgrades is always a good idea and iOS 18.1 is no exception. This update also fixes several bugs including the random reset issue that is affecting iPhone 16 users. Go to your Settings > General > Software Update and upgrade to iOS 18.1 as soon as possible.
What is the difference between iOS 17.7.1 and iOS 18.1 for security?
Apple's iOS 18.1 comes with some great new features and several security upgrades, but many people don't want to update their iPhones to the latest software version just yet. This is understandable. For those users, Apple is still updating iOS 17 with security fixes only.
This means for now, if you have an iPhone, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 6th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later.
In a few months, Apple will release patches only for older iPhones, which will be the time to bite the bullet and upgrade to iOS 18 if you have a newer device running it. For now, it's still safer to update to iOS 18.1 as Apple releases it with a more extensive list of improvements.
However, you run the risk of bugs with new software, so in many cases – including business critical software – you may want to update to iOS 17.7.1.