Critical iPhone Vulnerability Patched in iOS 18.6.2: What You Need to Know

iPhone Owners Warned of New Security Flaw

Apple has issued an urgent warning for iPhone users to check their settings and update to the latest iOS version after reports of a cyberattack targeting specific individuals. The company says the vulnerability could allow sensitive data to be leaked without users even realizing.

Apple Confirms Critical Update

The tech giant confirmed that its latest release, iOS 18.6.2, includes important security patches.

“This update provides important security fixes and is recommended for all users,” Apple stated.

To install the update, users should head to Settings > General > Software Update.

Details of the Vulnerability

According to Apple’s security notice, the flaw stems from processing a malicious image file, which may cause memory corruption. The company also acknowledged reports that the issue has been exploited in an “extremely sophisticated attack” against specific individuals.

Devices Affected

The new update applies to the following devices:

iPhone XS and later
iPad Pro 13-inch (all models)
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later)
iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later)
iPad Air (3rd generation and later)
iPad (7th generation and later)
iPad mini (5th generation and later)

Previous Security Breaches Highlight Ongoing Threats

This isn’t the first major warning in 2024:

May: Researcher Jeremiah Fowler revealed a massive Elastic database leak, exposing 184 million login credentials for platforms including Google, Apple, Facebook, Instagram, and Netflix.
June: Cybernews reported the largest password breach ever, with 16 billion passwords leaked, linked to Apple, Facebook, government services, and more.
July: Apple released iOS 18.6, which patched 29 security flaws, many tied to WebKit and CoreMedia Playback.

Why Updating Is Essential

The newly discovered issue affects Apple’s ImageIO framework, which could leave devices open to exploitation if not patched. Installing iOS 18.6.2 ensures protection against all currently known vulnerabilities.