Apple pushes out iOS security update that’s more tight-lipped than ever – Naked Security

It’s slightly below a month since iOS 16.1.1 got here out for Apple iPhone customers, fixing a pair of bugs that have been listed with the worrying phrases “a distant consumer might be able to trigger surprising app termination or arbitrary code execution”.

Each macOS 13 Ventura and iPadOS acquired up to date on the similar time, with a pair of safety bulletins printed on Apple’s website online.

Now, there’s one other safety replace, apparently shifting iPhone customers solely as much as model iOS 16.1.2.

We did it so we may report again to you

We’ve got put in it, and after a relatively modest obtain (by Apple requirements, at the very least) of about 250MBytes, the reboot-and-update course of accomplished reassuringly rapidly, and our cellphone nonetheless appears to be working simply positive.

However this replace is mysterious even by Apple’s normally tight-lipped requirements, with the corporate dwelling as much as, and maybe even past, its official assertion that the it “doesn’t disclose, focus on, or affirm safety points till an investigation has occurred and patches or releases are typically out there.”

Apple insists that this veil of secrecy exists “[f]or the safety of our prospects”, and if silence actually is golden on the subject of cybersecurity updates, then we are able to solely assume there’s an awfully severe bug getting fastened this time spherical.

Certainly, we haven’t but acquired an Apple Safety Advisory e mail, which is the same old approach we hear in regards to the newest patches, and Apple’s official safety replace portal HT201222 says nothing greater than this:

iOS 16.1.2 (particulars out there quickly) – iPhone 8 and later – 30 Nov 2022

It’s now 2022-12-02, two days after than the official launch date proven above, and we are able to’t inform you something greater than what we discovered from the popup that appeared after we went to Settings > Normal > Software program Replace.

This assured us that “this replace offers essential safety updates”, and despatched us again on a fruitless loop again to the uninformative HT201222 web page for “details about the safety content material”:

As you may see from the HT20122 screenshot above, that is, for now at the very least [2022-12-02T21:00Z], an iPhone-only patch, with no updates listed for any variations of iPadOS, macOS or Apple’s Watch and TV platforms.

What to do?

As talked about above, we up to date straight away, on the grounds that the thriller solely served to persuade us that one thing severe was in all probability afoot…

…and since we’re within the lucky place of getting an Android cellphone to fall again on if one thing goes fallacious.

We due to this fact figured we’d take one for the workforce (by which we imply for the Bare Safety group!) and see if there have been any compelling causes to advise you towards the replace.

Fortuitously, we didn’t encounter any hassle that made us suppose you shouldn’t replace, and plenty of iPhone customers in all probability both have already got or will quickly obtain the replace mechanically.

But when, like us, you like to have at the very least some technical info to go on first, then, as we identified proper within the headline itself, you’ll discover Apple much less communicative than ever this time.

Preserve your eyes on that HT20122 portal web page to maintain up with the complete story, and to be careful in case different Apple platforms (e.g. iPadOS, macOS) or earlier supported variations (e.g. iOS 15) get belated-but-related updates for a similar safety holes.

You’re welcome.