iPhone, Mac and iPad users, urgently update software to avoid hacking – Check India’s government alert

Apple users generally feel safe when it comes to privacy, as Apple places a lot of emphasis on it in its products, whether it’s a Mac or an iPhone. However, even Apple products have software security flaws that go unnoticed. Information is only released when Apple fixes these flaws, prompting users to take action and update their devices.

In the latest case, a similar situation prompted the Indian government’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) to issue a “high-risk” alert. The organization is asking Apple users who own iPhones, iPads, or Macs to update their software as soon as possible to avoid potential security bypasses, denial-of-service attacks, and more. Of course, this comes after Apple has issued software patches for a myriad of issues.

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Indian Government Notice to Apple Users: What It Says

CERT-In recommends that users of the following software versions update their devices as soon as possible to mitigate potential threats:

• Apple iOS versions prior to 17.6 and iPadOS versions prior to 17.6
• Apple iOS versions earlier than 16.7.9 and iPadOS versions earlier than 16.7.9
• Apple macOS Sonoma versions older than 14.6
• Apple macOS Ventura versions older than 13.6.8
• Apple macOS Monterey versions older than 12.7.6
• Apple watchOS versions older than 10.6
• Apple tvOS versions older than 17.6
• Apple VisionOS versions older than 1.3
• Apple Safari versions older than 17.6

Apple has already released security updates for the above software, and users should update their devices immediately to protect themselves from unwarranted damage.

It’s important to note that when Apple discovers these vulnerabilities, it’s not always necessary for them to be exploited. That’s why most of these patch announcements are made after the company releases an update. So, while there’s no immediate risk, it’s possible that bad actors could try to exploit them.

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Apple Alerts: Here’s What You Need to Remember for the Future

It goes without saying that maintaining good online hygiene is essential. Start by enabling automatic updates for your devices so that new updates, often containing important security patches, are installed automatically without you having to worry about them.

Also, if you have a device that is quite old and no longer receives updates, it is best to avoid using it. If you must use it, limit it to non-essential tasks, such as using it as a camera, and avoid connecting it to the internet, as this could potentially put you at risk of being exposed to bad actors.

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