Apple has released security updates for iPhone, iPad and Mac to patch two vulnerabilities, which the company says are being actively exploited to hack people.
The technology giant has launched new software updates, iOS and iPadOS 17.1.2And Mac 14.1.2after a vulnerability was uncovered by security researchers in Google’s threat analysis group, which investigates government-backed cyberattacks.
In updates rolled out Thursday, Apple said it fixed two vulnerabilities in WebKit, the browser engine that powers Safari and other apps. Vulnerabilities allow hackers to remotely implant malicious code, such as spyware, on a person’s device over the Internet. The vulnerability is called “zero day” because the vendor is given no time, or zero day, to fix the vulnerability before it is actively exploited.
“Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited against iOS versions prior to iOS 16.7.1,” Apple said in its security warnings, referring to the iPhone software released on October 11.
Apple has also put forward a Update to Safari 17.1.2For users using older versions of macOS Monterey and macOS Ventura, the company said.
It is not known who is exploiting these new zero-day vulnerabilities. Google has not yet attributed the exploit to a specific malicious actor or government. Apple and Google did not provide further details about the vulnerabilities.
Earlier this week, Google corrected its error Zero-day vulnerability in Google Chrome, for which the search giant said it was aware of an exploit for the vulnerability “out there in the wild.” Security researcher at Google Maddie Stone said in a post on XTwitter previously stated that the bug in Chrome was fixed within four days. Apple fixed the flaw reported by Google researchers in just under a week.