Apple issues urgent warning to iPhone users over extremely sophisticated attack that can hijack devices
Apple has warned that hackers may have exploited a serious security vulnerability to target certain iPhone users.
Targeted attack. Apple said the flaw may have been exploited in highly sophisticated attacks against specific individuals.
Security vulnerability. The issue affected CoreGraphics, an Apple framework that processes and displays visual content.
How to stay safe. Full details below.
The company says the attack was highly sophisticated, raising fresh concerns about how cybercriminals can exploit weaknesses in everyday devices.
The flaw could allow malicious code to run when an affected device processes a specially crafted file.
Fortunately, Apple has released security fixes, and there is a simple step users can take to help protect their phones.
Apple says hackers may have already exploited the iPhone security flaw
The gadget warning concerns a vulnerability in CoreGraphics, an Apple software framework responsible for processing and displaying visual content.
According to Apple’s security advisory, the weakness could allow attackers to execute malicious code when a vulnerable device processes a specially crafted file.
In the wrong hands, a flaw like this could give hackers a way to interfere with a device and potentially gain access to sensitive information, depending on how the vulnerability is exploited.
Apple said it was aware of reports that the issue may have been used in an “extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals” on versions of iOS before iOS 27.
The wording is significant because it suggests the attack was aimed at particular people rather than being a confirmed widespread campaign against everyday iPhone owners.
However, Apple has not publicly identified the people targeted or explained exactly how the attacks were carried out.
The attack could exploit something as ordinary as a file
One particularly concerning aspect of the vulnerability is that it involves how Apple devices handle specially crafted content.
Files such as images and documents need to be processed by software before their contents can be displayed.
If that software contains a security weakness, attackers may be able to exploit it to run their own code.
That does not mean every image or document is dangerous, nor has Apple confirmed precisely how the reported attacks delivered the malicious files.
The vulnerability was reported by Meta’s Product Security team, and Apple says it addressed the issue by improving memory-boundary checks, which stop software reading or writing outside its allotted memory.
Apple has also released security updates addressing other vulnerabilities, including separate issues involving camera access and the exposure of sensitive information on certain older devices.
These are distinct security problems, so users should check which updates are available for their particular iPhone rather than assuming every device is affected in the same way.
How to update your iPhone to fix the security flaw
The good news is that Apple has issued fixes for the reported vulnerability, meaning users can take action to reduce their risk.
To check for an update, open Settings on your iPhone, select General, and tap Software Update.
If an update is available, follow the on-screen instructions to download and install it.
The version offered will depend on your device, so install the latest compatible software available rather than looking for one specific version.
It is also worth enabling automatic updates so important security fixes are less likely to be missed.
Although Apple’s warning may sound alarming, there is no confirmation that all iPhone users are at risk of being targeted by this particular attack.
Keeping your software up to date remains one of the simplest ways to protect your device against known security vulnerabilities.