Apple Rolls Out iOS 12.4.1 to Fix Jailbreak Security Flaw
Aug. 27, 2019Apple on MondayreleasedtheiOS 12.4.1 update to fix an exploitthat allowed hackers to jailbreak iPhones and install unapproved apps and services. Believed to have been first reported by Google’s Project Zero researcher, Ned Williamson, the vulnerability was earlier fixed in iOS 12.3, but is believed to have been reintroduced in version 12.4, rolled out last month.
The incoming update is available over-the-air, and can be accessed via Settings > General > Software Update. It is available to a number of devices, including the iPhone 5s and later, the iPad Air and later and the 6th-gen iPod touch. According to the company, the update brings improved memory management to address a‘use after free’issue to stop malicious applications from executing arbitrary code with system privileges.
On its official support pages, Apple acknowledged Project Zero’s Ned Williamson, as well asPwn20wnd, for their contribution in finding and fixing this flaw before it could become a full-fledged security threat for millions of users around the world. While it enabled developers to create jailbreak tools, it could have also potentially allowed unscrupulous actors to create malicious iOS apps to target unsuspecting users, thereby jeopardizing their privacy and security.
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