Image shows the Apple iOS 15.6.1 update on an iPhone screen. (FOX TV Stations)
Apple released a new software update on Wednesday that should safeguard two security vulnerabilities that impacted every iPhone and iPad model capable of running iOS 15.
The first issue involved the potential for an application “to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges,” according to Apple’s security updates website.
A kernel is the central component of a computer’s operating system and it manages all of the operations and hardware. The kernel acts as a bridge between “applications and data processing performed at hardware level using inter-process communication and system calls,” according to Geeksforgeeks.org.
Here are the specifics that Apple has provided on the security update:
- Available for: iPhone 6s and later, iPad Pro (all models), iPad Air 2 and later, iPad 5th generation and later, iPad mini 4 and later, and iPod touch (7th generation).
- Impact: An application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited.
- Description: An out-of-bounds write issue was addressed with improved bounds checking.
- CVE-2022-32894: an anonymous researcher
The second security fix was in WebKit, the browser engine that powers Safari and all third-party browsers on iOS.
Here are the specifics for the fix:
- Available for: iPhone 6s and later, iPad Pro (all models), iPad Air 2 and later, iPad 5th generation and later, iPad mini 4 and later, and iPod touch (7th generation).
- Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited.
- Description: An out-of-bounds write issue was addressed with improved bounds checking.
- WebKit Bugzilla: 243557CVE-2022-32893: an anonymous researcher
Apple said the newest update provides “important security updates and is recommended for all users.”
To remedy the two vulnerabilities, just go to the settings in your Apple device and scroll until you see the “general” tab. And once you’re there, you can head to “software updates” and the iOS 15.6.1 update option should be available.
This story was reported from Los Angeles.
