Summary created by Smart Answers AI
In summary:
- Macworld reports that iOS 26.3 and iPadOS 26.3 contain over 35 critical security patches addressing severe vulnerabilities in Apple devices.
- The update fixes a zero-day vulnerability in Dynamic Link Editor already exploited in targeted attacks, plus kernel flaws that could grant malicious apps root privileges.
- Users should immediately update their iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices to protect against unauthorized access and sensitive data exposure on locked devices.
While most iPhone users rush to download the latest iOS update to check out all the new features, the latest one released this week doesn’t really have any. So it could be tempting to wait a few weeks. But there are a few dozen reasons not to do that.
It’s common for nearly every iOS and iPadOS release to contain at least a few security updates. Apple works diligently to close every loophole and fix every flaw that could let a malicious actor get access to your device and data. iOS and iPadOS 26.3 have more than 35 security patches, according to Apple’s security updates page.
Some seem relatively benign, but others are more serious. The biggest is a zero-day vulnerability in the Dynamic Link Editor (dyld), which loads the libraries required by an application, that could enable an app with memory write capability to execute arbitrary code. Apple says it knows of a report that this flaw has been used in “an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals” who were running versions of iOS prior to iOS 26.
There are three kernel flaws fixed, one of which allows a malicious app to gain root privileges. A bug in Photos could allow a person with physical access to a device to see a user’s photos from the lock screen. A pair of Accessibility bugs could allow someone to view sensitive user information on a locked device.
In other words, you should update your iPhone or iPad right away. Oh, and your Mac, too; you’ll find most of these same security fixes apply to macOS as well.
To update your iPhone, open Settings, tap General, then Software Update, and follow the prompts.
