iPhone users warned of a common bug in the Settings app that could cause the protection feature to fail

Apple iPhone users have been warned about a common bug in the Settings app that causes a protection feature to fail.

Users have reported bugs in the Advanced Data Protection feature that was supposed to prevent hackers from accessing photos, passwords, and home data, but the tech giant has released an emergency iOS update that fixes the issues.

However, tech experts are urging iPhone owners to make sure they have the new iOS 17.6 software installed, which will appear in their settings.

On some iPhones, the update might not have installed automatically because the phone was not connected to the Internet, did not have enough storage space, or automatic updates were not turned on.

On August 7, Apple issued an urgent warning to iPhone users, telling them to update to the latest version of iOS to prevent hackers from stealing their personal information and location, as well as taking control of their iPhone.

Apple has rolled out a new iOS 17.6 update for all iPhone Xs, Xs Max, and XR phones released in 2018 and later and said it has fixed all 35 security flaws, including one that prevented the Advanced Data Protection app from working.

This feature is tied to iCloud, which uses end-to-end encryption software to provide an extra layer of security to protect your photos and text messages.

While some users reported receiving an error message while activating the protection app, for others it showed as disabled when they tried to disable it, although it still worked in iCloud.

Due to these issues, Apple has released an update to iOS 17.6.1 that fixes an issue that prevented users from turning this feature on or off.

This meant the phones received a new “build number” of 21G101, which confirms that the device is protected against this bug.

Users can locate the number by going to the Settings app, clicking General, and then the About section.

The second row will show the version of iOS installed on your phone. Clicking on it will show a number in brackets to let you know if you have downloaded the correct version.

Focus on the last three numbers to see if your phone is at risk. If the building code does not match, you must update your iOS software immediately by clicking Software Update on the General tab.

The latest update to iOS 17.6.1 addresses an issue with Advanced Data Protection. Apple said that “the update includes important bug fixes and resolves an issue that prevented you from enabling or disabling Advanced Data Protection.”

While Apple has confirmed that it will release iOS 18 software in the coming months, experts warn that users should not ignore the iOS 17.6 update.

Apple has not explained exactly what the security issues are with the new update. On its website, it said it “will not disclose, discuss, or confirm security issues until an investigation is conducted and patches or update releases are available.”

The company explained that this will prevent cybercriminals from exploiting security flaws before customers have a chance to update their devices.

Apple said last month that there was no evidence yet that hackers had exploited the vulnerabilities.

Sean Wright, head of app security at Featurespace, told Forbes that while users shouldn’t panic about security issues, it’s still a good idea to “update your software as soon as possible.”