On Monday Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) released an emergency patch aimed at fixing a security issue that left latest iPhones vulnerable to jailbreaks from hackers. Last month the company released an update for its iOS to fix security issues but that left current generation iPhones vulnerable to hacking.
Apple releases iOS 12.4.2
The company has released a new version of iOS 12.4.2 which will fix the bug. The update downloads automatically for users who have enabled “Automatic updates.” The problem with users was that the reopened vulnerability could make it easier for hackers to install bugs on devices through downloaded apps. As the normal protections that prevent malware from mounting an attack on the phone were down.
Hackers and jailbreakers had realized the mistake last week, and they published a jailbreak for the latest iPhones. This is the first time in several years that hackers had managed to jailbreak iPhones running on the latest version of iOS. Security researchers specializing in iOS hacking had warned last week that hackers could use the bug reintroduced by the company in their last update and chain it with another exploit to hack devices.
Apple reopened vulnerability to iOS with version 12.4
The company has indicated that the emergency patch will prevent the possibility of malicious applications executing arbitrary codes with system privileges through enhanced memory management. The company has recognized Ned Williamson for his role in the identification of the vulnerability and @Pwn20wnd for their help in verifying the jailbreak.
The Cupertino tech company made a big mistake but has quickly fixed it. The company equally addressed the recent Bluetooth KNOB susceptibility quickly. Also when the Zoom conference call got published because the poor software architecture left devices vulnerable to attacks, the company moved swiftly to release a mandatory release to fix it for its MacBooks.
iOS security expert Stefan Esser has warned that people should be cautious when they are downloading applications from the Apple AppStore. Apple has tried to secure its ecosystem in ways rivals have not. Despite vulnerabilities experienced in recent weeks, the company has shown that it can fix problems quickly.
