Apple's latest iOS 14.4 security updates are among the most important to be released for the iPhone and should be downloaded and installed immediately. iPadOS has also received the same security fixes in iPadOS 14.4. The new version of the operating system corrects three actively exploited security issues. As a result, it is worth every iPhone and iPad owner checking if an update is available and installing it right away to avoid potential unauthorized access to their devices.

Apple’s iPhone and iPad are typically considered very secure but, as with most mobile devices, breaches can arise from time to time. Most often these security flaws are discovered by industry professionals who alert device manufacturers and software developers of the issue. Apple encourages reporting of security or privacy vulnerabilities so that they can be patched with an operating system update. There are occasions when a security issue is found and exploited for some period of time before it is discovered and corrected.

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Three security flaws seem to have been discovered and reported by one or more anonymous researchers. Apple notes that the problems may have been actively exploited, meaning that someone might have used the vulnerability to gain a level of access to iPhone and iPad devices that should not have been possible. The first has to do with the device kernel, which is the core of the operating system. The problem was described as a ‘race condition,’ which is when two processes occur at the same time and if one finishes before the other it results in unexpected behavior. This flaw was said to allow elevation of privileges, which implies potential access to system files or user files. Apple corrected the problem with ‘locking,’ which is a programming technique that prevents two tasks that run in parallel from accessing the same piece of data simultaneously.

WebKit Security Issues

Apple iPhone 12 Over Hot Sun Background

Beyond the Kernel issue that has been repaired, the update corrects flaws with WebKit. This is the portion of iOS and iPadOS that renders web content for Safari and other apps. Two actively exploited security flaws were found in this code affecting the iPhone and iPad. Apple gave a single statement about the two problems, suggesting they were either related or similar areas of concern. The security note describes this as a ‘logic issue’ and states that restrictions were improved to prevent arbitrary code execution.

Some iOS and iPadOS updates include new features or fixes for bugs that affect a small number of users and delaying the upgrade until it is most convenient makes sense. However, security updates are more important and it is generally a good idea to install the changes to devices on the same day. For actively exploited security flaws, the urgency raises to the highest level and updating immediately is best. Anyone that owns an iPhone or iPad should really install iOS 14.4 and iPadOS 14.4 as soon as possible.

Next: iOS 14.4 Now Available To Download: Improved iPhone Features & Fixes

Source: Apple