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Own an Apple device? Govt flags a security risk you shouldn't ignore
The advisory by CERT-In was issued on September 21, following the company's recent release of a large number of security updates.
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Apple users in India have been placed on high alert after the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) issued a security advisory, highlighting multiple vulnerabilities in the company's devices and software. The alert covers iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, Apple TVs, Vision Pro and Safari.
The advisory by CERT-In was issued on September 21, following the company's recent release of a large number of security updates. The advisory warns that the flaws could potentially allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code, access confidential information, bypass security protections or cause a targeted device to malfunction.
“Multiple vulnerabilities have been reported in Apple Products, which could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code, or cause denial of service (DoS) conditions on the targeted systems,” the advisory said.
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In layman's terms, the warning does not relate to a specific Apple device or one flaw. CERT-In has detected multiple weaknesses in various areas of Apple's software, including memory corruption, authentication, permissions, input validation and other system components.
The affected software includes iOS and iPadOS versions prior to 26.7, macOS Tahoe versions prior to 26.7, macOS Sequoia versions prior to 15.8, earlier versions of watchOS, tvOS, visionOS, Safari and Xcode.
Apple released its latest major software updates on September 14, including iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS Golden Gate 27. The company has described the releases as major platform updates, offering new features as well as security fixes.
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Independent security researchers have also noted the large number of vulnerabilities that have been addressed in Apple's September security releases. The Zero Day Initiative said the latest Apple updates addressed hundreds of CVEs across its products.
Potential targets
The warning is especially directed to users who have a tendency to put off software updates. CERT-In's assessment says that successful exploitation could lead to data theft, unauthorised access, service interruption or, in some cases, complete system compromise.
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The most important step for Apple users is to update the device's software.
How to update Apple software
On an iPhone or iPad, users can select Settings → General → Software Update and see if there is a security update available. Mac users can choose System Settings → General → Software Update.
Users should also be careful with unknown links, attachments and websites. Although the security vulnerability does not mean every Apple device has been compromised, an unpatched device can prove to be vulnerable. With Apple having already released fixes for the affected software, the CERT-In warning is essentially a reminder not to put off that update any longer.
