iOS 15.2 Comes with 38 Different Security and Privacy Fixes

Apple on Monday started rolling out iOS 15.2, the latest iteration of its mobile Operating System for iPhones. While iOS 15.2 introduces some pretty noteworthy features like Legacy Contacts, more privacy options, and nudity detection in Messages, there’s a lot more to it than that.

According to Mashable, the firmware update also brings a whopping 38 individual patches for security and privacy vulnerabilities, and those are only the ones Apple cared to disclose in its release notes.

The fixes patch some pretty sketchy holes in iOS, so it is highly recommended that you go ahead and download the update. Here’s a list of some of the vulnerabilities iOS 15.2 fixes, according to Apple:

  • Playing a malicious audio file may lead to arbitrary code execution
  • A user in a FaceTime call may unexpectedly leak sensitive user information through Live Photos metadata
  • Processing a maliciously crafted image may lead to arbitrary code execution
  • A malicious application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges
  • Processing a maliciously crafted file may disclose user information
  • A person with physical access to an iOS device may be able to access contacts from the lock screen
  • A person with physical access to an iOS device may be able to access stored passwords without authentication
  • A malicious application may be able to bypass certain Privacy preferences
  • An application may be able to access a user’s files

iOS 15.2 is available for the iPhone 6S and later. To update your iPhone to iOS 15.2, you need to:

  1. Make sure your iPhone is sufficiently charged (or plugged in).
  2. Go to Settings.
  3. Tap on Software Update.
  4. Tap on Download and Install.
  5. Follow the onscreen prompts.

If you have been holding off on updating because you are worried about performance or battery life issues given that iOS 15.2 is still rather green, don’t be — iOS 15.2 Release Candidate (RC) 2, launched last week, was pretty solid, and Apple typically rolls out RC builds as the final public release with little to no changes.

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