Update your Apple device now: iOS 18.3.2 fixes a flaw that could be exploited by hackers

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Better safe than sorry

Apple Siri
(Image credit: Getty Images)
  • Apple has released new updates that fix a known vulnerability
  • The flaw might have been exploited in the wild
  • The latest update also re-enables Apple Intelligence, even if you disabled it

It’s a good idea to update your devices to the latest operating system versions if you can, and that’s been amply demonstrated by Apple, with recent updates to iOS, iPadOS, macOS and visionOS patching a serious security vulnerability that might have been actively exploited in the wild.

The issue related to WebKit, Apple’s open-source framework that helps render web pages. In a support article describing the vulnerability, Apple’s update explains that “Maliciously crafted web content may be able to break out of Web Content sandbox.”

The issue was fixed by addressing an out-of-bounds write issue “with improved checks to prevent unauthorized actions.”

Apple adds that “this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on versions of iOS before iOS 17.2.” That means it’s very important to update your devices to make sure you don’t fall victim.

How to update

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(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Specifically, the patch can be found in the iOS 18.3.2, macOS 15.3.2, and visionOS 2.3.2 updates. According to Apple’s update webpage, the updates are supplementary patches to an issue that was fixed in iOS 17.2.

Updating your devices is straightforward. To update macOS and iOS, open the Settings or System Settings app and go to General > Software Update > Update Now. Allow the update to finish – your device might restart a few times.

This isn't the only change you’ll find in the iOS 18.3.2 update. It looks like Apple has started automatically re-enabling Apple Intelligence when you install this software patch, even if you had previously disabled the artificial intelligence system. That’ll be frustrating news if you’ve decided you don’t want to use AI on your device.

In this case, you’ll see an Apple Intelligence splash screen after installing the update. The only option on this screen is to select Continue, which enables the AI. If you want to disable it, you’ll then need to open the Settings app and go to Apple Intelligence & Siri, then turn off the toggle for Apple Intelligence.

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Alex Blake
Alex Blake
Freelance Contributor

Alex Blake has been fooling around with computers since the early 1990s, and since that time he's learned a thing or two about tech. No more than two things, though. That's all his brain can hold. As well as TechRadar, Alex writes for iMore, Digital Trends and Creative Bloq, among others. He was previously commissioning editor at MacFormat magazine. That means he mostly covers the world of Apple and its latest products, but also Windows, computer peripherals, mobile apps, and much more beyond. When not writing, you can find him hiking the English countryside and gaming on his PC.

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