iPhone iOS 15.3 released: Why you should upgrade ASAP
Apple's iOS 15.3 and iPadOS 15.3 updates are now available, and you should take the time to install them right away. The updates address 10 different potential risks spread across multiple systems and apps, including a recently-discovered Safari exploit that may allow someone to track your web activity and possibly pull up details from your Google account.
Potentially affected devices include any model that can run iOS 15 – so the iPhone 6S and newer, anything from the 7th gen. iPod Touch and up, the iPad Air 2 and later, and the iPad Mini 4 and its more recent models. If you use any of these devices, you can now download and install the latest version of Apple's software.
What does this fix?
Safari's security loophole (perpetuated by WebKit) is probably the most notable fix in this update, but it's not the only risk that's being patched out. WebKit and WebKit Storage are receiving a combined total of four updates for security issues that include unwanted information tracking, Content Security Policy prevention, and arbitrary code executions. The security risks present a number of ways for someone to circumvent your device's protections to track you or start running their own programs without your permission or knowledge.
Additional fixes include an issue with Model I/O that could allow a corrupted or malicious STL file to run code, memory exploits that could also allow malicious code to be run, a security flaw in iCloud that made it possible for a separate application to access your files, a way for malicious apps to exploit the Crash Reporter to gain full control over the device, and a possible memory corruption through ColorSync.
The update is live now, so all you have to do is go into your device's settings under General, then go to Software Update and follow the on-screen instructions. It might take a few minutes to download and install the update, but it'll be worth it.