Apple has urged all iPhone owners to upgrade their devices right now after discovering and fixing two serious zero-day security flaws that were actively used in what the firm called a "extremely sophisticated attack."
iOS 18.4.1, the latest emergency update, is now accessible and works with a variety of Apple products, including iPads, Mac computers running macOS Sequoia, Apple TV devices, iPhones (XS and later), and even the newly released Apple Vision Pro.
Apple said in a security statement that the firm discovered the vulnerabilities after they were leveraged in targeted assaults against some high-profile people. "This attack was against specific targeted individuals," Apple said, highlighting the threat's gravity.
Known as CVE-2025-31200, the initial vulnerability was found by Google's Threat Analysis Group and Apple's team. Located in CoreAudio, it processes a malicious audio file to enable remote code execution on a device. Apple's Remote Participant Audio Control (RPAC) framework has the second vulnerability, CVE-2025-31201, which may be used to go around Pointer Authentication, a crucial iOS security mechanism.
Apple has not revealed the precise technique used in the assaults, but the company's plan is to first withhold technical information to allow consumers to upgrade and stop hackers from duplicating the flaws. "Apple has not disclosed any further information about how these zero-day vulnerabilities were used in this highly advanced attack," the statement said.
Although these vulnerabilities are often first exploited to target high-level persons like CEOs, politicians, and activists, the business cautioned that the tactics ultimately "trickle down to ordinary users," making the upgrade essential for everyone.
Apple's urgency has been mirrored by security experts, who advise customers to install the fix right now. People using obsolete software are obvious targets for hackers, according to one caution. Strong cyber hygiene is also advised for users, which includes avoiding dubious files and URLs and disregarding communications that convey a feeling of urgency—often telltale indicators of phishing schemes.
With its most recent patch, Apple has already released five zero-day patches for 2025. Experts believe the number shows Apple's continued dedication to promptly resolving threats and safeguarding customer data, even if it may cause some worry. Installing the updates and protecting their devices, however, is ultimately the consumers' duty.
It is recommended that owners of iPhones, iPads, and Macs check their settings and install the most recent macOS update, iPadOS, or iOS 18.4.1 right away to protect themselves against these known dangers.
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