Apple releases emergency security fix as users advised to update iPhone, Watch, Mac and iPads straight away

Security bugs could allow attackers to take control of iPhones

(AFP via Getty Images)

Apple has released an urgent update for its iPhone, Mac and other products.

The company said that the security update fixes three security flaws. As such, users have been urged to install the update as soon as possible, which can be done through the Settings app.

All of the three bugs have already been exploited in the wild, Apple said, though it gave no information about how widely they have been used, or against whom.

The three bugs meant that attackers would be able to make their way through different parts of the operating system to potentially steal information and take control of devices.

It is just the latest in a run of major security issues that have forced Apple to push out updates this year. Earlier this month, Apple was required to fix a powerful security hole that researchers said had already been exploited by attackers using the “Pegasus” spying software.

New updates are available for the iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch. They can be installed through their respective settings apps by clicking the “General” option and then software update, and the devices may prompt their owners to install them.

The update came just three days after the release of iOS 17, Apple’s major update for the iPhone. And was released hours before the new iPhone 15 went on sale.

As well as the security problems, the updates bring fix other bugs, Apple said.

All three of the new bugs were found by Bill Marczak of The Citizen Lab at The University of Toronto’s Munk School and Maddie Stone of Google’s Threat Analysis Group, Apple said. Researchers at The Citizen Lab were also responsible for finding similar issues earlier this month.