Update your iPhone and iPad right now to protect against active exploit

Apple released two unexpected iOS updates on Friday, including iOS 14.4.2 and iOS 12.5.2, explaining at the time the updates included “ important security updates and are recommended for all users” rather than any major new features. The fact that Apple released two distinct iOS builds further reinforced the idea that the update was fixing some security issues. That’s because the update is also meant to service the iOS devices that can’t run iOS 14, the latest software version for iPhone and iPad. iOS 12.5.2 will work on the older iPhones and iPads that never made the jump to iOS 13 and iOS 14.

Since then, we’ve learned exactly what sort of vulnerability Apple fixed. It’s the kind of sophisticated software attack that uses previously unknown issues in code, zero-day vulnerabilities, that some nation-states might employ in their cyber operations. This particular attack originated from a US ally and was a counterterrorism operation that Google thwarted. But the security vulnerabilities that Google identified patched software issues that malicious hackers could have discovered and employ.