- Apple has paved two iOS failures
- The problems could have allowed computer pirates to carry out specific attacks
- Geopolitical tensions have meant an increase in attacks sponsored by the State
A new iOS software update has been launched to patch two security defects that, when exploited, allowed cybercriminals to hack specific target devices in an “extremely sophisticated attack,” Apple confirmed.
Vulnerabilities are found in Koreaudio and RPAC, and affected iOS, TVOS, Visishes and Ipados, and were discovered by Apple and the Threat Analysis Group (Tag).
It has not yet been confirmed how many times these failures were deployed, or against whom, but the Google Tag approach is working to “counteract piracy and attacks backed by the Government against Google and our users”, which suggests that the state-state actors used the exploits, or at least involved in some way.
Unknown victims
Adam Boynton, senior manager of Emeia security strategy in Jamf, saidTechradar Pro The first vulnerability addressed was a “actively exploited coremedia failure that could have allowed the execution of the malicious code through the processing of a media archive”, and that Apple has mitigated this by “implementing the verification of improved limits.”
The second vulnerability set by Apple could allow attackers with access to reading or writing to the Authentication of Sidestep pointer, which, Boynton told us, is “a security mechanism designed to resist the dissemination attacks of memory, so it gives an attacker the opportunity to launch attacks and access to parts of the device’s memory.”
“With the security corrections in iOS 18.4.1 that address two zero day vulnerabilities, it is essential that all users immediately update their Apple devices,” Boynton.
“The fact that these two vulnerabilities are extremely sophisticated to exploit explains why Apple has only observed attacks against specific and specific individuals. However, the limited scope of these attacks should not dissuade users to update their devices immediately.”
Almost half of the United Kingdom companies report that an “growing number” of actors of threats sponsored by the State in the last 12 months, and high geopolitical tensions make a hostile cyber security landscape. Patching known security failures is a defense first line for all users, and it should be a priority for all security equipment.
