CERT-In issues warning for old iPhone and iPad users

The Computer Response Team of India (CERT-In), India's national cybersecurity agency, has warned all iPhone users concerning a vulnerability in iOS that may allow hackers to access the device.

Apple has consistently held that the security of its users' data is of the utmost importance to the company, and nothing else matters. Therefore, running into a potential security risk with any Apple device is rare. The tech giant continues to roll out updates with enhanced security features to protect its users' data. However, if you are using an old iPad or an iPhone, your device is likely at high risk if it has not been updated in a long time.

The Computer Response Team of India (CERT-In), India's national cybersecurity agency, has warned all iPhone users concerning a vulnerability in iOS that may allow hackers to access the device. The warning said the vulnerability "could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the targeted system."

The vulnerability is a type of confusion flaw in the WebKit component that hackers can exploit and lure users into visiting malicious websites that may be harmful.

Apple devices at risk of falling victim to such vulnerabilities are operating on iOS versions before 12.5.7. These are- the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, and iPod touch (6th generation).

As per the CERT-In, hackers target the vulnerability and exploit it in iOS versions released before iOS 15.1.

To stay safe from attackers, users must update their devices as early as possible. Apple has launched a security patch for iOS 12.5.7 that can be easily installed on your device.

The patch was released on January 23. At the patch release time, Apple shared a note: "Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited against versions of iOS released before iOS 15.1."

All devices can be updated by going to the settings menu and going to the General tab. Then look for the Software Update tab and click Download and install the update. If, in case, you are unable to update your device, please remove your sensitive data, such as pictures, passwords, net banking information, etc., from your phones and iPads as soon as possible.