by Jason Snell
Latest Apple updates fight zero-click exploits
Apple released a bunch of software updates Monday to counteract dangerous security vulnerabilities in its operating systems. Ivan Krstic, head of Apple Security Engineering and Architecture wrote:
After identifying the vulnerability used by this exploit for iMessage, Apple rapidly developed and
deployed a fix in iOS 14.8 to protect our users. We’d like to commend Citizen Lab for successfully
completing the very difficult work of obtaining a sample of this exploit so we could develop this fix
quickly. Attacks like the ones described are highly sophisticated, cost millions of dollars to develop,
often have a short shelf life, and are used to target specific individuals. While that means they are not
a threat to the overwhelming majority of our users, we continue to work tirelessly to defend all our
customers, and we are constantly adding new protections for their devices and data.
The smart advice: update immediately.