The latest operating system for the Apple iPhone, iOS 17.6.1, was released on August 7, 2024. Visit the Apple iOS 17 site to take a tour of the latest iOS features.
Updates can make several changes to your operating system. These changes are not necessarily security related. Visit the Apple security releases site for the latest security updates from Apple.
· iPhone SE (2nd Gen and 3rd Gen)
· iPhone XS
· iPhone XS Max
· iPhone XR
· iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max
· iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max
· iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max
· iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, 14 Pro Max
· iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max
Updating your device software can help improve your device security. Updates will often fix bugs, deliver new features, and protect you from security vulnerabilities. Install the latest available updates to keep your network safe and efficient.
Hackers can exploit unpatched vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to your network or data.
Software updates offer plenty of benefits. A new software version may include repairs to security holes and fixing or removing computer bugs. Updates can also add new features to your devices and remove outdated ones.
Hackers exploit software vulnerabilities. A software vulnerability is a security hole or weakness in a software program or operating system. Hackers can take advantage of the weakness by writing code to target the vulnerability. The code is packaged into malware — short for malicious software.
An exploit can sometimes infect your computer with no action on your part other than viewing a rogue website, opening a compromised message, or playing infected media.
What happens next? The malware can steal data saved on your device or allow the attacker to gain control over your computer and encrypt your files.
Software updates often include software patches. They cover the security holes to keep hackers out.
You keep a lot of documents and personal information on your devices. Your personally identifiable information — from emails to bank account information — is valuable to cybercriminals.
This data can be used to commit crimes in your name, or this data can be sold on the dark web to enable others to commit crimes. If it is a ransomware attack, the hackers might encrypt your data. You might have to pay a ransom for an encryption key to get it back. Or, worse, you might pay a ransom and not get it back.
Updating your software and operating systems helps keep hackers out.
Cybersecurity is mostly about you, but you also have other people to think about. If your device gets a virus, you could pass it on to your friends, family, and business associates. That’s why you want to keep your software and systems updated.
A trusted security program can help keep your devices secure. And that can potentially help all those people you interact with online. But it’s also important to know anti-virus protection isn’t enough to protect your devices against all cyber threats.
Updates not only patch security holes, but they can also add new features and improve existing ones. You don’t want to fall behind on updates.