Yesterday was a day of updates for Apple. Just before the Cupertino company released the second beta of iOS 17 with all its new features, along with macOS Sonoma and the rest of the systems, it also rolled out updates for the stable versions of all the systems. iOS 16.5.1 and its counterpart in iPadOS, watchOS 9.5.2, and macOS 13.4.1 have arrived, all with significant security enhancements.
Few new developments, but very important
The list of changes in the new systems is smaller. This is something that we can already deduce from their numbering, as it is a X.X.1 version, which indicates a reduced number of changes. However, this doesn’t make them any less important. The first on the list is that it fixes an issue on the iPhone and iPad where the Lightning to USB adapter may not function correctly, causing connected devices to not receive power.
From here on, we are entering the realm of security. According to Apple, all the updates enhance the system’s security by addressing a couple of vulnerabilities that could have been actively exploited. Specifically, there is a kernel vulnerability that could lead to arbitrary code execution with privileges. Additionally, a WebKit vulnerability is also patched, which could allow a malicious website to execute unsigned code on the device.
These issues are also addressed in iOS 15.7.7 for devices that couldn’t be updated to iOS 16. So whether it’s an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or Mac, the recommendation is to update all our devices as soon as possible.
As we have mentioned on numerous occasions, software updates are not just about new features. Often, there are details that may go unnoticed but are vital to ensure that our data remains secure and our devices are protected. In this case, a simple visit to Settings > General > Software Update will suffice. Within a matter of minutes, our devices will be up to date.
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