Here’s why Indian government has issued a major security warning for iPhone users

Users with Apple’s latest iPhone 16 series have just received a new security warning from the nodal security agency of the Indian government this week. The vulnerability, which was identified by India’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), has been rated ‘high severity‘ as it affects major components within Apple devices. Wondering how to keep yourself safe? Read on.

Apple security threat: What does this mean for your device?

According to the warning issued by CERT-In, the vulnerability could affect multiple Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, Macs and various Apple Watch models. The report also suggests multiple vulnerabilities across versions of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, as well as visionOS.

The security flaws could pave the way for unauthorised access to any sensitive data stored on your Apple device. Apart from that, it could also lead to denial of services (DoS), as well as data manipulation.

This means the attackers could target these areas and gain access to your device. They may exploit these weaknesses and steal personal information or disrupt your device’s functionalities.

Apple security threat: How to secure your device from possible threats

The good news is that Apple has rolled out a software update that addresses this vulnerability. With this update, your device should be safe from potential threats. If you haven’t received an alert to update, here’s how to go about checking for one:

ALSO READ: Government issues a high severity warning on Apple products; here’s what to do

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your Apple device

Step 2: Scroll down to find the General Settings option on the list

Step 3: You will find Software Updates within this option; tap to select

Step 4: If a new update is available, your device should automatically detect and show you within this tab

Which Apple devices are affected by this security threat?

The security affects an extensive range of Apple devices. Check out if your device makes it to this list:

– iOS and iPadOS versions before 18.1

– iOS and iPadOS versions before 17.7.1

– macOS Sequoia versions before 15.1

– macOS Sonoma versions before 14.7.1

– macOS Ventura versions before 13.7.1

– watchOS versions before 11.1

– tvOS versions before 18.1

– Safari versions before 18.1

So, whether or not you have the latest iPhone or MacBook, the security vulnerability could possibly affect you if your device is updated to any of these versions. It is best to keep your device up-to-date with the latest OS version.