Here’s Why You Need to Update Your iPhone and iPad ASAP
If you're using an iPhone and you've yet to update your operating system, then you might want to pause the Instagram scrolling and change that.
In case you missed it, Apple is now encouraging all iPhone and iPad users to update their operating systems immediately. After discovering some serious security threats within their systems, the company released iOS 14.4 and iPadOS 14.4 updates to fix these issues.
On their support page, Apple highlighted two security bugs that "may have been actively exploited" by hackers. Vulnerabilities were found in WebKit, a browser engine that powers the Safari browser, and the Kernel, the computer program at the core of their operating system. With Webkit, malicious applications were "able to elevate privileges," and as for the Kernel, Apple claims that remote attackers were able to "cause arbitrary code execution."
Per CBS News, Katie Moussouris, CEO and founder of Luta Security, explained that such vulnerabilities could lead to some scary outcomes—like a hacker being able to literally control your device. She said, "You've zombified that device. You are controlling it from a distance. Your regular web browsing may cause you to be held compromised, without having to do really much of anything else."
While addressing the Kernel bug, Moussouris added, "[The kernel] is part of the brain of the operating system. It's supposed to be the most protected... For sure, you know this is a serious issue."
To avoid these risks, Apple strongly urges users to update their operating systems right away. For more details on how to do this, you can visit Apple's website.
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