Apple revealed serious security vulnerabilities for iPhone, iPad and Mac models that could potentially allow attackers to take full control of these devices. Apple released two security reports about the issue on Wednesday, though they haven’t received widespread attention outside of tech publications. Apple’s interpretation of the vulnerability means a hacker could get “full administrator access” to the device. This, said Rachel Toback, CEO of SocialProof Security, would allow intruders to impersonate the device’s owner and later run any software in their name.
Security experts have advised users to update the affected devices — the iphone 6s and later models; Several models of iPad, including 5th generation ipad and later, all ipad pro model and ipad air 2, and Mac computers running MacOS Monterey, The defect also affects some iPod models.
Apple said no first either another Report how, where or by whom vulnerabilities were discovered. In all cases, it cited an unnamed researcher.
commercial spyware companies such as those of Israel NSO Group Known to identify and exploit such flaws, exploit them into malware that secretly infects targets’ smartphones, snatches their contents and surveys targets in real time.
The US Department of Commerce has blacklisted the NSO Group. Its spyware has been used against journalists, dissidents and human rights activists in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.
Security researcher Will Strafech said he didn’t see any technical analysis of the vulnerabilities Apple just patched. The company has acknowledged similar serious flaws before and, Strafetch estimates perhaps a dozen occasions, noted that it was aware of reports that such security holes had been exploited.