PSA: Safari Security Flaw 'Actively Exploited,' Update Your Apple Devices Now

This week, Apple released critical software updates for Safari which fix a security flaw that exists in the browser across iPhone, iPad, and Mac platforms. Here's what you need to know.

safari icon blue banner
Specifically, the platform-wide fix is for a vulnerability in Safari's WebKit engine that Apple believes may have been "actively exploited" in the wild by hackers.

The flaw, according to Apple, could allow bad actors to "process maliciously crafted web content" that may lead to "arbitrary code execution."

An additional fix that exists in the latest update for macOS Monterey, 12.5.1, relates to a vulnerability that may allow an application to "execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges."

In other words, it could allow hackers to access the deepest layer of the operating system and take complete control of the affected device. Apple says it is aware of a report that this issue may also have been actively exploited.

If you haven't updated already, it's important to do so at the earliest opportunity. The latest critical updates are as follows:

To update your iPhone or iPad, head to Settings -> General -> Software Update. To update your Mac, open System Preferences and select the Software Update preference pane.

Popular Stories

iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Next Week With These New Features for Your iPhone

Friday February 14, 2025 6:18 am PST by
The first iOS 18.4 beta for iPhones should be just around the corner, and the update is expected to include many new features and changes. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the iOS 18.4 beta to be released by next week. Below, we outline what to expect from iOS 18.4 so far. Apple Intelligence for Siri Siri is expected to get several enhancements powered by Apple Intelligence on iOS...
iPhone 17 Roundup Feature 2

iPhone Design to Change 'Significantly' This Year

Monday February 17, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple is set to "significantly change" the iPhone's design language later this year, according to a Weibo leaker. In a new post, the user known "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone's design is "starting to change significantly" this year. The "iPhone 17 Air" reportedly features a "horizontal, bar-shaped" design on the rear, likely referring to an elongated camera bump. On the other...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

What to Expect From the 'Apple Launch' Next Week

Thursday February 13, 2025 11:48 am PST by
Apple has yet to announce any new devices this year, but that could change starting next week. Apple CEO Tim Cook today said to "get ready" for a "launch" on Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," said Cook, in a social media post. The post includes an #AppleLaunch hashtag, along with a short video featuring an animated Apple logo inside of a circle....
Apple Maps 2024

Apple Maps Might Start Showing Ads

Sunday February 16, 2025 7:22 am PST by
Apple is "exploring" the idea of showing search ads in the Apple Maps app, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Back in 2022, Gurman said software engineering was "already underway" to display ads in the Apple Maps app, but Apple did not move forward with the idea at the time. Today, he said Apple is "giving this notion more thought" again. This time around, he said Apple has yet to...
Tim Cook Apple Park

10+ Announcements Apple Could Have Rolled Into a February Event

Saturday February 15, 2025 8:00 am PST by
Apple appears to have enough upcoming product announcements to justify a full event this month, yet all signs indicate these reveals will be handled through a series of press releases instead. There are a multitude of rumors from reliable sources about specific announcements in the coming weeks, so here's everything that Apple could have feasibly included in a hypothetical February event: ...
iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech

iPhone 17 Pro With All-New Camera Bar Design Allegedly Revealed

Thursday February 13, 2025 5:49 pm PST by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro will feature three rear cameras arranged in a familiar triangular layout, but the cameras will be housed in an all-new rectangular camera bar with rounded corners, according to YouTube channel Front Page Tech. iPhone 17 Pro camera design render created by Asher for Front Page Tech In a video uploaded today, Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser said the camera ...
m2 pro mac mini

Apple is Now Selling a Refurbished Mac Mini for Just $319 (!)

Saturday February 15, 2025 9:58 am PST by
A few days ago, we reported that Apple's refurbished Mac mini pricing had a problem, and it appears that Apple has taken note. Apple was offering a refurbished Mac mini with the M2 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage for $559, which was $50 more than a refurbished Mac mini with the M4 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. All other key specifications were equal. That's no longer...
iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

Apple's Next iPhone SE Launching on Wednesday - Here's What We Know

Friday February 14, 2025 4:04 pm PST by
Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an Apple announcement that's coming on Wednesday, February 19, and it's looking like that mystery announcement will be the next-generation iPhone SE. We've been hearing about the iPhone SE 4 for quite some time now, and we essentially know everything to expect. If you want a sneak peek at what's coming, read on. Naming Apple first introduced the iPhone SE in...

Top Rated Comments

RedDeliciousPinkLady Avatar
33 months ago
And if our devices are so old that they can't reach those OS versions, we're supposed to just not use them anymore, right? It sounds like a sarcastic question, but is that actually, in the grand scheme of security, what we're supposed to be doing?
Score: 44 Votes (Like | Disagree)
syklee26 Avatar
33 months ago
Why does Safari always have to be updated with iOS update? Can't they just patch flaws independently?
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BootsWalking Avatar
33 months ago
The flaw, according to Apple, could allow bad actors to "process maliciously crafted web content" that may lead to "arbitrary code execution."

This man has been brought in for questioning:


Attachment Image
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jclardy Avatar
33 months ago
If only Safari was an actual app store app and could allow updates outside of the core OS...
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
xxray Avatar
33 months ago
Uhh is this fixed in the iOS/iPadOS/macOS 16 betas??
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
orbital~debris Avatar
33 months ago
What would be really useful would be a status message (in System Preferences?) for Apple to inform you if any of your devices have been compromised – so you can erase them and reinstall the OS.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)