Over the past couple of months, a lot of spyware exploits have been discovered. Apple recently introduced a new operating system update for the iPhone and iPad to fix a vulnerability that was actively exploited by hackers. In its statement, Apple acknowledged that it received a report on the matter and took immediate action to keep its devices safe. The company is taking this issue very seriously and it’s good to see that they are taking action quickly to address it.
The vulnerability in question was discovered by a researcher who chose to remain anonymous, and Citizen Lab played a critical role in helping Apple identify and respond to the issue. Based out of the Munk School at the University of Toronto, this digital rights research group has long been known for its efforts to expose the use of government hacking tools by organizations such as the NSO Group, says CyberSecuriry.
It’s worth noting that this vulnerability was in WebKit, which is Apple’s browser engine and has been a popular target for hackers due to the wide access it can provide to device data. However, it’s good to see that Apple is hard at work fixing these vulnerabilities, and recent counts show there have been only a handful of bugs that could have been actively exploited since the start of the year.
NIX Solutions notes that while the average iPhone user is unlikely to be the target of such a zero-day exploit, it’s always wise to keep your device up to date and protected from potential threats. As always, Apple is committed to ensuring the safety of its users and promptly responding to any security issues that arise.