Apple on Monday released iOS 18.3.1 to the public, two weeks after the release of iOS 18.3. The company says iOS 18.3.1 and iPadOS 18.3.1 include “important bug fixes and security updates” – and now we know exactly which vulnerability today’s updates fix.
Details on vulnerability fixed with iOS 18.3.1
In a security article published on Apple’s website, the company details the security patches included with iOS 18.3.1 and iPadOS 18.3.1. More specifically, the update fixes a vulnerability found in iOS’s accessibility features that had been actively exploited by attackers.
With this vulnerability, attackers with physical access to an iPhone or iPad could disable USB Restricted Mode on a locked device. For those unfamiliar, USB Restricted Mode is a feature that asks for the iPhone or iPad’s password to allow it to be connected to a computer or other device via USB. Bypassing this system allows attackers to access user data stored on the device.
“Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals,” the company says.
Keeping software updated is important to reduce the chances of being targeted by hackers and other attackers. Apple also released updates to macOS 15, visionOS 2, and watchOS 11 today – but there are no details about security patches for these operating systems.
On a related note, Apple has also released iOS 17.7.5 for some older devices with a fix for the same exploit. If you have a compatible iPhone or iPad, make sure you update iOS by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
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