Install iOS 15.7.4, iPadOS 15.7.4, macOS Big Sur 11.7.5, and macOS Monterey 12.6.4 on your old devices to fix the vulnerabilities.
These bug fix updates fix many vulnerabilities on older iPhones, iPads and Macs, some of which have been exploited in the wild.
- What’s happening? Apple has released iOS 15.7.4, iPadOS 15.7.4, macOS Big Sur 11.7.5, and macOS Monterey 12.6.4 for older iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
- Why care? Apple occasionally updates older devices not supported by the latest software to fix bugs, and these releases fix nearly two dozen vulnerabilities.
- What to do? Download and install these updates as soon as possible.
What fixes does iOS 15.7.4 include?
iOS and iPadOS 15.7.4 arrived on March 27, 2023, along with iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4. Both iOS 15.7.4 and iPadOS 15.7.4 are only available on older devices, including iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone SE first generation, iPad Air 2, fourth and seventh generation iPad mini. Next generation iPod touch.
First, iOS 15.7.4 and iPadOS 15.7.4 address several privacy issues found in Accessibility, Find My, and Identity Services that could allow an attacker to read sensitive location data or access information about your contacts.
We also fixed an issue in the Calendar app where importing a malicious calendar invitation could result in user information being stolen. Fixes are available for other reported issues, including a vulnerability in the Camera app that could allow any sandboxed app to determine which app is currently using the camera.
Apple also found a bug, now fixed, in the Shortcuts app that could allow a shortcut to use sensitive data with certain actions without prompting the user. Apple fixed this with additional permission checks.
The updates fix two bugs found in WebKit, Safari’s rendering engine.
One might allow a website to track sensitive user information, while the other exploits a bug where processing malicious web content can lead to arbitrary code execution. “Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been heavily exploited,”the company notes.
iOS 15.7.4 and iPadOS 15.7.4 also include fixes for vulnerabilities in parts of the operating system that could lead to an unexpected system shutdown or allow rogue apps to write to kernel memory or expose process memory.
Finally, we also fixed bugs in the image I/O subsystem that could cause unexpected behavior when processing a maliciously crafted image file.
Fixes in macOS Big Sur 11.7.5 and macOS Monterey 12.6.4
Apple has updated its older macOS operating systems for users of older Macs that are not compatible with macOS Ventura. Both macOS Big Sur 11.7.5 and macOS Monterey 12.6.4 include more than two dozen fixes for most of the same vulnerabilities that Apple fixed on older devices running iOS and iPadOS 15.7.4, as well as those present in iOS 16 and other current Apple operating systems. systems.
Vulnerabilities in WebKit are not fixed in macOS Big Sur 11.7.5 and macOS Monterey 12.6.4. Instead, Apple provided them separately through the Safari 16.4 update, which can only be downloaded using Software Update on your Mac.
Big fixes in iOS 16.4, iPadOS 16.4, tvOS 16.4, watchOS 9.4, and macOS Ventura 13.3.
Almost all of the fixes mentioned above are also available on newer devices with iOS 16.4, iPadOS 16.4, tvOS 16.4, watchOS 9.4, and macOS Ventura 13.3 updates. If you have already installed them on your devices, you have nothing to worry about.
iOS 16.4 also includes other fixes, including three fixes for the Neural Engine, Apple’s Neural Engine designed to accelerate low-power machine learning tasks without the need for a CPU or GPU. They seem important because they solve problems where an application running on that coprocessor might exit its sandbox or execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges.
Security Content iOS 15.7.4, iPadOS 15.7.4, macOS Big Sur 11.7.5, and macOS Monterey 12.6.4
Read the Apple support documents below for a detailed overview of all the fixes and bug fixes included in the iOS 15.7.4, iPadOS 15.7.4, macOS Big Sur 11.7.5, and macOS Monterey 12.6.4 updates for older iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
- About the security components of iOS 15.7.4 and iPadOS 15.7.4
- About the security components of macOS Big Sur 11.7.5
- About the security components of macOS Ventura 13.3
- About Safari 16.4 security content
Security Content iOS 16.4, iPadOS 16.4, tvOS 16.4, watchOS 9.4, and macOS Ventura 13.3
For detailed information about security content in iOS 16.4, iPadOS 16.4, tvOS 16.4, watchOS 9.4, and macOS Ventura 13.3, be sure to check out the Apple support documents linked below:
- About iOS 16.4 and iPadOS 16.4 security content
- About the security content of tvOS 16.4
- About watchOS 9.4 security
- About the security components of macOS Ventura 13.3
How to install iOS 15.7.4 and iPadOS 15.7.4
Use Software Update to download and install iOS 15.7.4 and iPadOS 15.7.4.
- Open the Settings app on your device.
- Select General from the root list.
- Select Software Update.
- Select “Install”or “Download and Install”under the specified update.
Keep your device connected to Wi-Fi and power while installing updates.
How to install macOS Big Sur 11.7.5 and macOS Monterey 12.6.4
You can install macOS Big Sur 11.7.5 and macOS Monterey 12.6.4 on your Mac using the Software Update feature available in System Preferences.
- Open the Apple menu and select System Preferences.
- Click the Software Update icon in the System Preferences window.
- Click the button to install macOS Big Sur 11.7.5 or macOS Monterey 12.6.4.
If your old Mac doesn’t have the Software Update feature, install it by launching the App Store app and clicking the Updates tab.
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