If you have a new iPhone or Mac, there are plenty of reasons to go update to iOS 18.4 or macOS 15.4, but users of older devices might not be so quick to hit the download button. But these updates are especially important—Apple has patched a pair of vulnerabilities originally fixed in iOS 18.3.1 and 18.3.2 and five dozen fixes for newer phones and Macs.
In iOS 16.7.11 (compatible with iPhones 6-13) and iOS 15.8.4 (compatible with iPhones 8-14), Apple issued a pair of security updates to fix zero-days previously exploited in the wild. Apple previously addressed the flaws in iOS 18.3.1 (Accessibility) and 18.3.2 (WebKit) for newer iPhones, but they remained exploitable in older phones until this week.
Apple also patched an actively exploited CoreMedia flaw in older iPads and Macs that was first fixed in iOS 18.3 and macOS 15.3.
Apple says the vulnerabilities were used in “extremely sophisticated” attacks, meaning hackers targeted high-level individuals in government or business. However, as long as the flaw remains open on your devices, there is still a risk that it could be exploited with lower-level malware, so we recommend updating as soon as possible. See our tests of the best Mac antivirus programs for more security options.
Apple also issued a few dozen security fixes for newer iPhones and Macs with iOS 18.4 and macOS 15.4, as well as updates to iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Vision Pro so no matter what Apple device you own, go update this weekend before it’s too late.
Author: Michael Simon, Executive Editor, Macworld
Michael Simon has been covering Apple for more than 20 years. He started covering rumors with Spymac when the iPod was the iWalk, and has owned nearly every iPhone Apple has ever made. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, son, and far too many gadgets.