Apple fixes security holes and bugs in iOS 15.3.1 and macOS 12.2.1

Apple today released updates for iOS/iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS that primarily address bugs and security vulnerabilities.

iOS 15.3.1 is a minor feature update for most users. It fixes an issue with Braille displays and fixes an arbitrary code execution vulnerability.

Apple’s iOS update notes are as follows:

iOS 15.3.1 brings important security updates to your iPhone and fixes an issue that could cause braille displays to stop responding.

In addition, Apple has posted information about security updates on its support website:

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Available for: iPhone 6s and later, iPad Pro (all models), iPad Air 2 and later, iPad 5th generation and later, iPad mini 4 and later, and iPod touch (7th generation).

Impact. Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited.

Description. An after-free use issue was addressed with improved memory management.

CVE-2022-22620: Anonymous Researcher

Meanwhile, macOS Monterey 12.2.1 mainly fixes a bug that could lead to unexpected Mac battery drain. Here are the update notes:

macOS 12.2.1 contains important security updates and resolves an issue for Intel-based Macs that could cause the battery to drain during sleep when connected to Bluetooth peripherals.

A couple of weeks ago, this bug caught the attention of the press, with users claiming their MacBook batteries were draining to zero or near zero even when the laptops were in sleep mode and not in use.

Apple also released watchOS 8.4.2 for the Apple Watch today, but just says the update fixes bugs and provides security updates without going into much detail about either.

All of these updates are available for supported devices right now. They come about two weeks after Apple released iOS 15.3, watchOS 8.4, and macOS 12.2, which also focused on bug fixes and security updates.