Apple has launched iOS 15.3 along with a warning to update now. That’s because the latest operating system upgrade fixes 10 security vulnerabilities, one of which is already being used to attack iPhones.
Apple holds back on many of the details about what’s fixed in iOS 15.3, because the iPhone maker wants as many people as possible to update without alerting attackers to vulnerabilities.
According to Apple’s support page, the issue fixed in iOS 15.3 that’s already being used to attack iPhones is a flaw in IOMobileFrameBuffer. This could see a malicious application able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges.
The iOS 15.3 upgrade—which is the first big point update since December—also addresses security flaws in WebKit, the browser engine that powers Apple’s Safari browser, iCloud and Kernel.
The most notable fix in iOS 15.3 is for Safari WebKit, where a vulnerability could leak your browsing history and potentially, your Google account history, says Sean Wright, SME security lead at Immersive Labs. As for the iCloud vulnerability that allows an application to access a user’s file, he adds: “While the risk remains low, there is still a possibility that a rogue app could access your sensitive files.”
Meanwhile, Wright calls the kernel vulnerability fixed in iOS 15.3 “worrying.”
“It allows for code execution with kernel privileges, potentially giving an attacker a very high level of privilege. If chained with the other existing vulnerabilities, this could allow significant unwanted access.”
iOS 15.3—Why you should update your iPhone now
The iOS 15.3 update doesn’t fix as many issues as some of Apple’s other updates, but many of the vulnerabilities are serious. This is especially true since one of the flaws patched iOS 15.3 is already being used to attack iPhones.
Whether you are a business or not, Wright advises that you update your iPhone to iOS 15.3 as soon as you can. Now is as good a time as any.
There’s another reason not to delay updating to iOS 15.3. Apple was providing important security updates to people who wanted to keep their iPhones on iOS 14. Sadly this is no longer the case—the iPhone maker is only issuing security fixes to people on the latest version of its software, iOS 15.
So what are you waiting for? Go to your iPhone Settings > General > Sofware Update and upgrade to iOS 15.3 now.
