What Is The Reason That Apple Requires You To Update Your Device Immediately

What is the reason that Apple requires you to update your device immediately?

According to Apple, this is the message it will send to its vast user base on September 13, 2021. In other words, if you haven't already, you should definitely go update your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or Mac computer, because Apple isn't messing around with this one.

Israel's NSO Group is taking advantage of what is known as the "Holy Grail" of remote surveillance, a "zero-click remote exploit," which allows their Pegasus spyware to infect devices without the need for any user interaction on their part.

Apple: Update Your Devices Immediately

A new exploit has been discovered by the incredible research team at Citizen Lab, which was previously used to hack high-profile Apple devices that were being targeted by clients of the NSO Group.

The notorious Pegasus spyware from the NSO Group includes a slew of advanced surveillance and intrusion techniques, but the deployment of a zero-click exploit raises the bar to an entirely new level of sophistication.

For the most part, those who have obtained a license to use Pegasus could infect Apple devices without notifying the user and track their texts, phone calls and emails as well as their camera, microphone, and other features without requiring any user interaction.

In addition to being a no-click remote attack, the exploit, known as ForcedEntry, is notable for the fact that it appears to have actively compromised the most recent versions of Apple's iOS operating system.

Citizen Lab discovered the Pegasus spyware and the ForcedEntry exploit running on iOS versions 14.4 and 14.6, which were completely avoiding Apple's BlastDoor sandboxing and infecting the entire device, according to the researchers.

What is the purpose of updating my Apple device?

Pegasus, as we've seen before, is a super-spyware program of sorts. Since nation-state-level spyware requires such high levels of sophistication, licensing it comes at a significant financial cost to the government.

So, if that is the case, why is Apple updating all of its devices at such a breakneck pace? It's not like regular people like you and me have to be concerned about it, do we?

Yes, to a certain extent; however, the NSO Group and its clients are unlikely to pursue you. However, Citizen Lab's work has uncovered a vulnerability in the company's software, and whether or not that vulnerability affects "regular" people, it needs to be fixed as quickly as possible.

Due to the fact that the exploit is being used against vulnerable individuals, such as activists and journalists in repressive regimes, Apple must take immediate action to close the security hole.

Is it possible that my device has been compromised by the exploit?

As previously stated, it is extremely unlikely that your device has come into contact with the Pegasus spyware.

Ivan Krsti, Apple's head of security engineering and architecture, said the following in an interview with The Guardian:

At this level of sophistication, attacks such as the ones described cost millions of dollars to develop, have a short shelf life, and are used to target specific individuals. While this indicates that they do not pose a threat to the vast majority of our users, we continue to work tirelessly to protect all of our customers, and we are constantly adding new protections for their devices and information.

What is it about Apple products that hackers find so appealing?

If you have the impression that you have read this headline before, you are not mistaken.

Apple's security has had a difficult year in 2021, with at least 16 zero-day exploits being discovered across the company's products. Despite the fact that more than 60 zero-day exploits have been disclosed so far in 2021, Apple would prefer to see a lower proportion of zero-day exploits disclosed.

A cursory internet search reveals headlines for Apple products in nearly every month of 2021, as high-profile and well-resourced individuals and organizations take aim at the company.

But why is Apple the only option? What is it about Apple products that has people so interested? It all comes down to the company's track record when it comes to privacy and security issues. High-profile individuals are more likely to use Apple products than Android devices because they are known to be more difficult to break into and exploit than Android devices. This is true whether the individual is a journalist, activist, business owner, or government official.

With this information in hand, these organizations devote more time and resources to researching Apple vulnerabilities, knowing that the monetary rewards from a single exploit could be enormous in nature.

How to Install an Update on Your Apple Device

Updating your iPhone, iPad, or iPod is a straightforward process that is the same on all three devices:

• Go to Settings > General > Software Update and click on it.
• Select Install Now from the drop-down menu. See also Download and Install if you prefer another option.

Users of Mac OS X can also upgrade to the latest version:

• Select System Preferences > Software Update from the menu bar.
• Click on the Update Now button.