The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) recently issued a security alert for iPhone users in India. The alert warns about vulnerabilities that could give hackers complete control over their devices.
It is important to note that even older iPhone models like the iPhone 6s, iPhone 7 series, iPhone 8 series, and iPhone SE first-gen are also at risk.
iPad users, including those with iPad Air, Pro, and Mini models, have also been advised to update to the latest version of iPadOS.
Vulnerabilities
CERT-In has discovered vulnerabilities in Apple iOS and iPadOS due to "improper input validation" in the Kernel and "improper state management in issues in WebKit."
The Kernel is a critical part of an operating system, and WebKit is the technology behind the Apple Safari browser.
If these vulnerabilities are exploited, attackers can run their own code on the targeted devices, potentially gaining complete control over them.
Due to the seriousness of these issues, CERT-In has categorized the warning as having a "high" severity level.
Taking Protective Measures
To protect their iPhones and iPads, users should promptly update their devices.
Here are the steps to update an iPhone:
Go to Settings > General > Software Update. Similarly, iPad users can follow the same process to update their devices. Apple has addressed the security concerns by releasing new iOS updates.
For older devices like iPhone 6s, iPhone 7, and iPhone SE (1st generation), there is an available update called iOS 15.7.7.
Apple's Response
Apple has taken proactive measures to address security concerns by releasing iOS updates specifically targeting the identified vulnerabilities.
The iOS 15.7.7 and iPadOS 15.7.7 updates are intended for older iPhone and iPad models, including iPhone 6s, iPhone 7, iPhone SE (1st generation), iPad Air 2, iPad mini (4th generation), and iPod touch (7th generation).
These updates effectively address the identified vulnerabilities, which were brought to Apple's attention by researchers from the renowned security firm, Kaspersky.