The Apple released an important security update for older devices with iOS 12 . The patch fixes three system vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers.
To get iOS 12.5.4, user must follow these steps: go to Settings > General and then select Software Update option. The update is available for the iPhone 5S , iPhone 6 , iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3 and 6th generation iPod touch .
Update protects part of devices released between 2013 and 2014.Source: ARS Technica/Reproduction
According to Apple, the patch fixes two WebKit vulnerabilities and a “malicious certificate”. The three loopholes in the system can lead to arbitrary code execution by cybercriminals.
As such, the brand recommends that anyone with a device running iOS 12 or iPadOS 12 download the latest software update. What’s more, she confirms that the same issues have been fixed in iOS 14.6 .
It’s worth noting that tech companies are not required to maintain security updates for older, unsupported devices. Depending on the product, they release system updates over a period of two to five years.
Part of the models mentioned were launched between 2013 and 2014, which indicates that they are more than five years old. So Apple has not released new patches for these gadgets since the release of iOS 13 in September 2019.
Almost 10% users still have old iPhones
A DeviceAtlas survey showed that several people were still using old Apple devices in 2020. At least 8.3% of all Apple users had an iPhone 6 or earlier model.
One recommendation is to always change the device when it is not able to support new security updates. However, as Apple devices tend to be more expensive , this was an excellent initiative by the brand.
Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
- Chipset: Apple A14 Bionic (5 nm)
- Operating System: iOS 14
- Battery Capacity: 3687 mAh
- Screen Size: 6.7 inches
- RAM memory: 6GB
- Internal Storage: 128GB, 256GB or 512GB