Apple has released iOS 14.8 , an urgent iPhone update that all users should install now.That’s because it comes with a warning—iOS 14.8 is an important security only upgrade for two vulnerabilities that Apple believes adversaries are already using to attack people’s iPhones.
The first security issue fixed in iOS 14.8 is a vulnerability in Apple’s CoreGraphics framework, where processing a maliciously crafted PDF may allow an attacker to execute code.
The second security hole is in the Apple WebKit browser engine, where processing malicious web content could allow an adversary to execute code.
Apple believes both vulnerabilities have been exploited by attackers, so it recommends you install iOS 14.8 now.
The iOS 14.8 upgrade is one of many iPhone security updates issued by Apple this year, multiple of which had also been exploited by attackers.
MORE FOR YOU Why You Should Delete Google Photos On Your iPhone, iPad And Mac Apple iMessage Soundly Beaten As Radical New Update Goes Live Quit Google Chrome For One Of These 3 Privacy-Friendly Alternatives Why did Apple release iOS 14.8 just days before iOS 15? The release of iOS 14.8 comes just one day before the launch of the iPhone 13 and possibly days before the release of iOS 15 .You might think it doesn’t make sense to push out iOS 14.8 so close to the next upgrade, but actually, it follows the exact path Apple watchers were expecting.
That’s because as of iOS 15, Apple is going to be pushing security updates to iPhones on iOS 14 too.When iOS 14.8 was first discovered so close to iOS 15’s launch, it was clear the iPhone update was created for this very reason.It means if you don’t want to update to iOS 15 straight away—or, indeed, ever—you don’t have to, because with iOS 14.8, your iPhone will still be secure.
In the past, I have always advocated updating immediately when Apple releases an iPhone upgrade, even if it means suffering a few issues and bugs on your iPhone.
From a security perspective—especially in light of the Pegasus spyware —fixing vulnerabilities is always the priority.
But Apple is realistic—the iPhone maker knows there will always be those who wait to update their phones, and some who will avoid doing so at all.With iOS 14.8, it no longer needs to be a choice.
By all means wait to upgrade to iOS 15 if you want to, but in the meantime, update now to iOS 14.8 to keep your phone safe.
Kate O’Flaherty
Kate is an award winning and widely-recognized cybersecurity and privacy journalist with well over a decade’s experience covering the issues that matter to users,
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Kate is an award winning and widely-recognized cybersecurity and privacy journalist with well over a decade’s experience covering the issues that matter to users, businesses and governments.In addition to Forbes, her work can be found in publications including Wired, The Guardian, The Observer, The Times and The Economist.
With a focus on smartphone security including Apple iOS security and privacy, application security, cyberwarfare and data misuse by the big tech firms, Kate reports and analyzes breaking cybersecurity and privacy stories and trending topics.A co-founder of the Forbes Straight Talking Cyber video project, which has been named ‘Most Educational Content’ at the 2021 European Cybersecurity Blogger Awards, she is also a recognized industry commentator and has appeared on radio shows including the WVON Morning Show with Attorney Ernest B.Fenton, BBC Radio 5 Live and podcasts such as the Guardian’s Today in Focus.Kate can be reached at [email protected] .
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