By: Christian Chrietzberg
Apple just released an update in order to solve the three biggest problems with the most recent update on their devices. These devices have a piece of software installed within them called IOS. IOS is a piece of software used in mobile devices, exclusively in Apple products.
Tuesday of last week, Apple sent out an update 14.4 for IOS devices in order to correct major security flaws. These flaws included an exploit from the IOS operating system, which hackers were able to exploit the vulnerabilities to the public, and a safari exploit that allowed it to be manipulated and modified to hackers’ needs; and preferences.
This is why Apple pushed the 14.4 updates in order to fix the previous IOS update’s flaws. These flaws were the major problems that the IOS had in the previous version, which was 13.4, which was fixed when version 14.4 came out.
The three exploits, in a more detailed explanation. Two of them were on the same plugin exploiting the safari web browser, and the other one was kernel; which is part of the operating system for Apple devices.
The two exploits were found on an open-source plugin called WebKit. Webkit is a web browser that Safari uses for the default apple browser that comes with the iPhone. This exposes Safari’s coding as to how the hackers might modify the coding for their own use, and can submit their work to an online source.
On Apple’s website, they said “A remote attacker may be able to cause arbitrary code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited”.
For the exploit on Kernel, the kernel is the soul core of the operating system for a device. It has complete control over everything. Its main purpose is to act as a gateway between data processing and applications. This is why it was important to fix this exploit because it allows the hacker to take control of your device, and mess around with it. People do not want that to happen, especially if the person has personal information on their device.
On February 1, Apple added to their bug documentation list saying “A local user may be able to create or modify system files”.
This should raise numerous problems to the people who have Apple devices because their security system is being threatened by hackers. But because of the newest update that came out, this update has solved the three big problems from the previous update.
The main problem is that people might have been affected by these exploits and becoming victims. For now, people need to be observant about the current updates, but more importantly, Apple needs to address to their company the flaws, and quickly find a solution and implement it. Otherwise, the victims will keep increasing, and Apple will lose profit and customers.
It is like David Brower once said, “All technology should be assumed guilty until proven innocent”.