Apple has released iOS 14.4.1 update with important security fixes for iPhone, iPad and Mac users necessary for protection against cyber attacks.
The tech giant announced in a note on its site that the security flaws, in its own words, are ‘zero day,’ or previously undisclosed to Intel-based Mac systems were.
Apple said that these software bugs were unidentified to the firm at the time they were exploited.
The fixes are offered for most of Apple’s software with new releases being iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, macOS 15.1.1, known as Sequoia.
It is still not clear who sponsored the attacks that specifically targeted Mac users, but Google Threat Analysis Group has some indication that it could be a government cyber group.
These software bugs were identified as belonging to web engines namely WebKit and JavaScriptCore which drive Apple’s Safari browser to operate web contents.
“Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited on Intel-based Mac systems,” Apple said.
“This update is security relese and we advise all users to install this update as soon as possible.”
One kind of bugs may lead hackers to seize control of the device as soon as they come across what they deem as dangerous content on the internet.
“Such content may cause an execution of arbitrary code when being processed,” the tech giant explained.
Such forms of weakness have been used to gain access to the main operating systems to facilitate access to other exclusive user information.
It was used in the past by government-sponsored cybercriminals to install business espionage malware on a target device and download or transfer data.
In the first half of this year, the Technology company alerted iPhone users in almost 100 countries including India of a possible new mercenary spyware attack like Pegasus.
Apple has released a new update to patch the software for macOS, iPhones and iPads, as well for users using IOS 17.
“It can be seen that the issue was addressed with an enhanced check,” the company said.
The last update is also, potential, the final update prior to iOS 18.2 in December that will introduce a second batch of Apple Intelligence capabilities.
