Protecting personal data and privacy

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In the current digital era, smartphones have become an essential part of college students’ lives. Instant access to information, communication, and entertainment is made possible by these powerful devices, making them indispensable tools for both personal and professional use. The risk of privacy and personal data breaches does, however, increase with this increased reliance on smartphones.

Since college students are frequently tech-savvy but lack cybersecurity experience, they must take proactive steps to safeguard their private information from hackers and protect their privacy. I examine the essential actions college students can take to increase the security of their smartphones in this article.

The Importance of Smartphone Security

Before beginning the practical steps, it is crucial to understand the importance of smartphone security for college students. Smartphones store a variety of data, including contact information, social media accounts, emails, photos, and even financial information, thanks to mobile payment apps. If this private information falls into the wrong hands, it could lead to identity theft, financial fraud, and other criminal activity.

Additionally, college students frequently access their email accounts, university portals, and online study resources via their smartphones. Any of these places might suffer a security lapse that puts their academic standing, grades, and reputation in danger. Therefore, it is crucial to give smartphone security top priority in order to protect private information, uphold academic integrity, and generally preserve privacy.

Keep Your Phone Software Up-To-Date

One of the simplest yet most crucial steps you can take to increase security is to keep the software on your smartphone updated. Manufacturers frequently release software updates to address security holes and improve system performance. If you don’t update your phone as soon as possible, cybercriminals might be able to use it. When dealing with onerous college tasks, get essay help online to complete your assignments without any potential cyber threads or fails.

To ensure that your smartphone is always running the most up-to-date software, enable automatic updates.

Implement Strong Passwords and Biometric Authentication

In the era of data breaches and password leaks, using strong and unique passwords is essential. Use complex combinations of these characters rather than straightforward ones, like “123456” or “password,” of upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols. Strong passwords can be made and securely stored with the help of password managers.

Many modern smartphones also offer biometric authentication features like fingerprint or facial recognition sensors. These steps increase security by adding another layer, making it more difficult for unauthorized individuals to access your phone and personal data. You should draw on trustworthy Writing Universe services to complete your academic assignments on time and at affordable rates.

Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

The strong security measure known as two-factor authentication (2FA) further safeguards your accounts. When two-factor authentication (2FA) is enabled, accessing an account requires both your password and a second verification, such as a one-time code sent to your email or smartphone, in order to be granted access.

Even if someone were to obtain your password, they would be unable to access your account because of the second verification method in place. Numerous online services, including email providers, social media platforms, and financial institutions, offer 2FA options.

Beware of Phishing Attacks

Phishing is one of the most prevalent online threats, and college students are not immune to it. Phishers create fake emails, messages, or websites to trick people into disclosing their login information or personal information. Being vigilant and cautious is necessary when responding to unsolicited emails or messages.

Always verify the sender’s email address and watch out for any phishing warning signs, like emails with typos, standard greetings, or requests for urgent personal information. In order to verify the legitimacy of a request for sensitive information or links in an email, get in touch with the business directly via their official website or phone number. Get more info on the importance of cyber education to keep your equipment safe.

Secure Your Wireless Connections

Public Wi-Fi networks are helpful to college students, especially when they are doing their homework on campus or in nearby coffee shops. However, these networks might also act as a haven for online criminal activity. Hackers frequently target public Wi-Fi networks in an effort to eavesdrop on data sent between devices and the network, potentially gaining access to sensitive information.

When using public Wi-Fi, avoid accessing or logging into accounts that have personal or financial data. Using a virtual private network (VPN) could be a good idea if you need to access sensitive information.

Be Cautious With App Permissions

Mobile apps frequently ask for a variety of device features, such as the camera, microphone, location, and contacts. While some are necessary for an app to work, others may be overkill and compromise privacy. Read the permissions that each application is requesting carefully before granting access. Consider the risks and your level of trust in the app if it requests permission for something that doesn’t appear to be related to its primary purpose. You should also frequently review and revoke unnecessary app permissions in your device settings to minimize privacy risks.

Key Takeaways

As college students balance the demands of their personal and academic lives, smartphone security must be a top priority. By following the aforementioned guidelines, students can significantly increase the security of their smartphones and protect their personal data and privacy from potential threats. On smartphones, sensitive data can be well-protected by being on guard, using strong passwords, turning on two-factor authentication, avoiding phishing scams, securing wireless connections, and carefully controlling app permissions.


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WhatsApp Channels get message reactions in new beta update

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WhatsApp Channels are a great way to effectively reach lots of people across a wide range of topics. Moderators of these channels can share information with members of their community without getting their messages buried among a ton of replies. While this is an impressive feature, member feedback is very important and that’s why channels might be getting the message reactions feature.

The addition of this feature will come in handy for not only the moderators of various channels but also their members. Finally, moderators will be able to get a glimpse of how users feel about certain issues or content shared on the channel. Users will also be able to have their voice heard, or maybe their reactions seen. Whichever part of users you fall into, this reaction feature is readily available for your usage.

However, there are a few things to keep in mind before running over to the channels you are on to start reacting to messages. These factors will give you a clearer idea of what to expect before making use of this feature. This article will cover all details of the message reaction feature coming to WhatsApp Channels.

Despite having message reactions on WhatsApp Channels, you might not get to use it

WhatsApp rolled out the messaging reaction feature a few months ago, and it took users by storm. Ever since its release, most users opt to react to certain messages instead of replying to them. It’s a great way to chat with others, and this feature is coming to channels on the social media platform.

With the rising need to reach a wider audience via one-way messaging, Whatsapp launched the channel feature. This gives moderators or owners of channels the ability to share content with a wide audience. Members on these channels are not able to send messages, but can only see updates sent by the moderators of these channels.

WABetaInfo has spotted messaging reactions on the channels section thanks to a new upgrade. For some reason, the moderators of these channels get to pick whether their members get to react to messages. If they permit users to react to messages, they can restrict the amount of emojis they use.

From the settings page, they can allow users access to only the five basic reaction emojis. If the moderator is generous enough, they can let users select the emojis they wish to react with. It is also good to note that while this feature is handy for channels, not all WhatsApp users will get access to it.

One reason behind this is that the message reactions feature in channels is still in beta testing. Another reason is that the WhatsApp Channels feature isn’t available to all users at this time. As global rollouts expand, more users will get access to various channels and might also react to updates if the moderators permit such.


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Microsoft, Meta & many more own rights to Twitter’s new name

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Elon Musk kicked off the Twitter rebrand yesterday, changing the name of the social network and issuing a new logo. Twitter is set to wave goodbye, while ‘X’ is set to take over. There’s just one problem, though, Microsoft, Meta, and hundreds of other companies own rights to Twitter’s new name.

Microsoft X trademark

Microsoft, Meta, and various other companies own rights to Twitter’s new name

This report comes from Reuters, and it could seriously mess up Elon Musk’s plans. It seems like ‘X’ is widely used and cited in trademarks, which opens the door for various lawsuits down the road.

In fact, a trademark attorney, Josh Gerben, said the following: “There’s a 100% chance that Twitter is going to get sued over this by somebody”. He’s fully convinced the company will get sued if it proceeds down that road.

That same attorney counted almost 900 active US trademark registrations that cover the letter X. That goes for various industries, he noted, not just tech, of course.

As already mentioned, both Microsoft and Meta own this trademark. Microsoft has been in its possession since 2003, and it’s related to communications about its Xbox video-game system. Meta, on the other hand, owns a federal trademark registered in 2019. It covers a blue-and-white letter ‘X’ for software and social media.

Using the ‘X’ name opens the company for various lawsuits

The aforementioned attorney said that neither of those companies is likely to sue, unless their brand feels threatened directly. There are various other companies with similar ownerships out there, though, and the chances that some of them will sue are high.

“Given the difficulty in protecting a single letter, especially one as popular commercially as ‘X’, Twitter’s protection is likely to be confined to very similar graphics to their X logo”, said Douglas Masters, a trademark attorney. He also added: “The logo does not have much distinctive about it, so the protection will be very narrow”.

Things could get really messy for Elon Musk and Twitter aka ‘X’ down the road.


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Android 4.4 KitKat is officially dead

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Happy birthday, Android 4.4! Your present is death. In a short and sweet blog from Google, we got the news that Android 4.4 Kitkat is officially dead. Google is going to kill off support for this version sometime in August.

We’re sure that a portion of smartphone users weren’t even born yet when Android 4.4 came out. However, for those of us that remember, this version of Android came out 10 years ago. While it was version 4.4, it was actually the 11th version of the platform, right after Jellybean. It was the last version of Android to have a version number with a decimal.

Android 4.4 brought features like saying “Ok Google” to access the voice assistant, full-screen album covers on the lock screen, emojis in the Google Keyboard, unlimited home screen pages, and other neat additions.

Also, a fun fact: Android Kitkat’s internal name was actually “Key Lime Pie.”

Android 4.4 Kitkat is now officially dead

Android was a fun and sweet version of the then-burgeoning operating system. However, all sweets go bad over time, and Google is getting ready to give version 4.4 its official sendoff.

In the short blog post, Google stated that Android 4.4 fell below 1% of active usage. This should come as no surprise, as there have been nine additional versions released since then. Since so few people use devices with this version of Android, Google is officially dropping support for it.

This means that phones running this version of Android will no longer get any updates to Google Play Services. Since Google Play Services are pretty essential to the Android experience, phones running this version of Android will lose a ton of utility when this happens.

If you’re still rocking a phone with Android 4.4 (which isn’t recommended, anyway), you will want to think about switching up. This will officially go into effect in August. Since we’re in late July there’s not much time until that happens.

Need to switch up?

If you need to pick up a new phone, but you don’t have much money to spend, we have a list of the best budget Android phones on the market. It’s an ever-updated list of the best phones you can get on a budget.


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Netflix adds 6 million subscribers after password-sharing crackdown

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When Netflix first announced the password-sharing crackdown back in May, industry experts worried that this decision could hamper the streaming giant’s reputation and, in turn, affect its revenue. However, according to the second-quarter earnings report, it looks like Netflix’s gamble has paid off as it added 5.9 million subscribers worldwide, with 1.17 million new members from the United States and Canada alone from April to June.

As reported by the data analysis firm Antenna, Netflix’s decision to charge $7.99 per month for extra members proved fruitful, as they observed a healthy conversion rate of shared accounts into fully paying memberships. As a result, Netflix is planning to extend password-sharing enforcement to all other countries, making it essential for users to subscribe to individual plans or adhere to the new policy.

Another area that has proved instrumental in the company’s recent success is the ad-supported tier. Although it had a slow start, it has now become one of the bigger driving forces for the platform, boosting overall revenue by 3% year-over-year and garnering over 5 million new subscribers.

New subscription offerings

In addition to the password-sharing crackdown, Netflix has also made changes to its subscription offerings, which include the discontinuation of its ad-free Basic tier in the U.S. and U.K., and replacing it with new subscription tiers: Standard with Ads for $7 a month, Standard for $15.50 a month, and Premium for $20 a month.

Despite its recent triumphs, Netflix is not without challenges, as the report also highlighted the recent industry-wide writers and actors strike in the US, which has caused concerns about potential content shortages for streaming platforms like Netflix. However, Netflix’s co-chief executive, Ted Sarandos, stated that they remain optimistic and highlighted the fact that the platform boasts a diverse lineup of releases, including upcoming films and shows from around the world, positioning them to navigate through the strike with confidence.


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Google’s testing a new Google Photos UI

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We’re all used to the current look of Google Photos, but there’s a chance that it could change. Thanks to a popular Telegram channel, it seems that Google is testing a new UI for Google Photos.

Google’s defining and redefining its Material You interface, and this means several redesigns for its apps. The company is working on creating a more unified look across its apps. Apps like the Google Play Store, Google Wallet, Google Chat, and others have seen subtle changes over the past couple of months.

Google Photos could be getting a new UI

Since we’re talking about a redesign that’s in testing, you’ll want to take this news with a grain of salt. According to the Google News EN Telegram channel (via Android Police), Google could be working on a pretty different look for its Photos. Google is testing this out on a limited selection of users, so chances are that you won’t see this.

One of the main things that you’ll notice is the change made to the bottom bar. Instead of a bottom bar, we’ll see a floating bar hovering just a few millimeters above the bottom. In it, we see that a few elements were moved around.

There are four buttons in the floating bar. There are the Photos, Memories, Library, and Search buttons. Instead of living at the top as a carousel, Memories will have their own tab. Thus, they’ll have a full dedicated page. On the Memories page, you’ll see a vertically-scrolling feed of your memories. They’ll all be separated by date.

The Sharing button no longer sits at the bottom with the other buttons. Instead, it was moved to the top of the UI right next to your profile picture.

Google seems to be testing a Google Photos experience without the bottom bar. On other screens, we see that the bottom bar is missing. Also, we’ve seen Google take the bottom bar away from other apps. It looks like Google Photos might follow suit.


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The role of oil price benchmarks in oil trading

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Oil trading is a complex and multifaceted industry that involves a wide range of participants, including producers, consumers, traders, and investors. At the heart of this industry are oil price benchmarks, which play a critical role in determining the price of crude oil and other related products. In this article, we will explore the importance of oil price benchmarks in oil trading and how they influence the global energy market. If you want to know more about oil trading, then you can visit the Oil Profit.

What are oil price benchmarks?

Oil price benchmarks are reference prices that serve as a basis for pricing crude oil and other petroleum products. They are used by producers, consumers, traders, and investors to determine the fair value of oil and to set prices for various products. There are several types of oil price benchmarks, but the most widely used are Brent crude oil and West Texas Intermediate (WTI).

Brent crude oil is a benchmark for oil prices in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, while WTI is a benchmark for oil prices in North America. Both benchmarks are highly liquid and widely traded, making them the most commonly used reference prices in the oil industry. However, there are other oil trading platforms emerging in the market such as Oil Era which is an Oil trading platform.

These benchmarks and platforms are influenced by various factors, including supply and demand dynamics, geopolitical events, and production decisions of major oil-producing countries. By staying informed about these factors, stakeholders can navigate the volatile and complex oil market with greater confidence.

How do oil price benchmarks work?

Oil price benchmarks play a crucial role in determining the prices of various petroleum products, ranging from gasoline to heating oil. These benchmarks are essentially a reference point for buyers and sellers of crude oil to determine the prevailing market price. The most commonly used benchmarks are Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate (WTI).

The prices of these benchmarks are determined by the supply and demand dynamics of the global energy market. This means that any factors that affect the supply or demand for crude oil can influence the prices of these benchmarks. For example, if there is a sudden increase in demand for crude oil due to economic growth, the price of the benchmarks will go up. Conversely, if there is a significant increase in supply due to new oil discoveries, the price of the benchmarks will go down.

Apart from supply and demand factors, oil price benchmarks are also influenced by various geopolitical events that can impact the global energy market. These include wars, political instability, and sanctions imposed by countries on other countries. For example, in 2018, the United States imposed sanctions on Iran, which resulted in a drop in the supply of crude oil from the country and led to an increase in the price of Brent crude.

Another factor that affects the price of oil benchmarks is the production decisions of major oil-producing countries. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Russia, and the United States have a significant influence over the global energy market and can use their production levels to affect the price of crude oil. For example, in 2020, Saudi Arabia decided to cut its oil production to support the price of crude oil during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to Brent crude and WTI, there are other oil price benchmarks used in different parts of the world. For instance, Dubai crude is used as a benchmark for oil prices in Asia, while the OPEC basket is used as a benchmark for oil prices among members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Why are oil price benchmarks important in oil trading?

Oil price benchmarks play a crucial role in oil trading because they provide a standard reference point for pricing crude oil and other petroleum products. They enable producers, consumers, traders, and investors to compare prices across different markets and to make informed decisions about buying and selling oil.

Oil price benchmarks also facilitate the hedging of oil price risks by providing a basis for the trading of futures contracts and other financial instruments. These instruments allow market participants to lock in prices for future delivery, reducing their exposure to price volatility and providing stability to the global energy market.

Conclusion

In conclusion, oil price benchmarks are a critical component of the global energy market and play a vital role in determining the price of crude oil and other petroleum products. They provide a standard reference point for pricing oil and enable market participants to make informed decisions about buying and selling oil. Oil price benchmarks also facilitate the trading of futures contracts and other financial instruments, providing stability to the global energy market and reducing price volatility.


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Tampa General Hospital half thwarts ransomware attack, but still loses patient data

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The Tampa General Hospital has promised to reach out to the individuals whose information has been stolen by the Snatch ransomware group.

The Tampa General Hospital (TGH) has promised to reach out to individuals whose information has been stolen by a ransomware group.

In a cybersecurity notice, TGH said it noticed unusual activity on its computer systems on May 31, 2023.

“Fortunately, TGH’s monitoring systems and experienced technology professionals effectively prevented encryption, which would have significantly interrupted the hospital’s ability to provide care for patients.”

While that is good news from a healthcare perspective, the ransomware operators did obtain something of value. An investigation learned that an unauthorized third party accessed TGH’s network and obtained files from its systems between May 12 and May 30, 2023.

Further investigation showed that some patient information was included. The information varied from person to person, but may have included names, addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, Social Security numbers (SSNs), health insurance information, medical record numbers, patient account numbers, dates of service and/or limited treatment information used by TGH for its business operations.

According to TGH, the criminals did not access the hospital’s electronic medical record system.

TGH says it is mailing letters to individuals whose information may have been compromised, and will provide complimentary credit monitoring and identity theft protection services to those whose Social Security numbers were accessed.

There are some actions you can take if you are, or suspect you may have been, the victim of a data breach.

  • Check the vendor’s advice. Every breach is different, so check with the vendor to find out what’s happened, and follow any specific advice they offer.
  • Change your password. You can make a stolen password useless to thieves by changing it. Choose a strong password that you don’t use for anything else. Better yet, let a password manager choose one for you.
  • Enable two-factor authentication (2FA). If you can, use a FIDO2-compliant hardware key, laptop or phone as your second factor. Some forms of two-factor authentication (2FA) can be phished just as easily as a password. 2FA that relies on a FIDO2 device can’t be phished.
  • Watch out for fake vendors. The thieves may contact you posing as the vendor. Check the vendor website to see if they are contacting victims, and verify any contacts using a different communication channel.
  • Take your time. Phishing attacks often impersonate people or brands you know, and use themes that require urgent attention, such as missed deliveries, account suspensions, and security alerts.

Snatch ransomware

On July 18, 2023, Snatch ransomware group claimed responsibility for the data theft on its leak site.

screenshot of the Snatch leak site

At Malwarebytes, we’ve been tracking the Snatch group since 2019. The group is suspected to operate from Russia. Back in 2019, the group stood out because it deployed a somewhat new technique for ransomware which forced the affected machine to reboot into safe mode without networking. Safe mode starts Windows in a basic state, using a limited set of files and drivers. It’s intended for troubleshooting, but since many monitoring tools will not work in safe mode, it allowed for an undisturbed and quicker encryption process. By choosing the “without networking” mode, administrators lose view of the system. The Snatch ransomware added itself as a service which ran in safe mode. Interestingly, for some reason the group no longer uses that method.

Their most common attack vectors include brute-force attacks against vulnerable, exposed services such as RDP, VNC (Virtual Network Computing), and TeamViewer. Programmed in Go, the ransomware component is separate from the data stealer. We have not seen the multi-platform capabilities of Go put to use, and only Windows machines are affected.

Malwarebytes detects the Snatch ransomware as Ransom.Snatch.

screenshot of Malwarebytes detecting Ransom.Snatch

How to avoid ransomware

  • Block common forms of entry. Create a plan for patching vulnerabilities in internet-facing systems quickly; and disable or harden remote access like RDP and VPNs.
  • Prevent intrusions. Stop threats early before they can even infiltrate or infect your endpoints. Use endpoint security software that can prevent exploits and malware used to deliver ransomware.
  • Detect intrusions. Make it harder for intruders to operate inside your organization by segmenting networks and assigning access rights prudently. Use EDR or MDR to detect unusual activity before an attack occurs.
  • Stop malicious encryption. Deploy Endpoint Detection and Response software like Malwarebytes EDR that uses multiple different detection techniques to identify ransomware, and ransomware rollback to restore damaged system files.
  • Create offsite, offline backups. Keep backups offsite and offline, beyond the reach of attackers. Test them regularly to make sure you can restore essential business functions swiftly.
  • Don’t get attacked twice. Once you’ve isolated the outbreak and stopped the first attack, you must remove every trace of the attackers, their malware, their tools, and their methods of entry, to avoid being attacked again.

Malwarebytes EDR and MDR remove all remnants of ransomware and prevents you from getting reinfected. Want to learn more about how we can help protect your business? Get a free trial below.

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Twitter might soon allow organizations to post job listings

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Twitter is reportedly working on a new feature that allows verified organizations to post job listings on their profiles. The feature could allow a verified business account to post up to five job listings, making it easy and efficient for job seekers to find employment opportunities.

Traditionally, Twitter, now rebranded as X,  has been a platform for people to share their thoughts and opinions on various topics. However, after Elon Musk’s takeover, Twitter is becoming more business-focused by adding more features tailored to the organization’s needs. The platform is now spotted testing a new feature dubbed “Twitter Hiring.”

Twitter is becoming a hub for job seekers by allowing organizations to post job listings

Twitter Hiring will simply allow a verified organization to post up to five job opportunities in its profile. App researcher Nima Owji shared a screenshot of Twitter Hiring that clearly shows how the feature works. First, it lets eligible accounts import all their jobs to Twitter by connecting a supported Applicant Tracking System (ATS) or XML feed.

As the introduction page states, “Twitter Hiring is a free feature for Verified Organizations to post jobs, feature jobs, on your company profile, and attract top talent to your open positions.” Back in May, Twitter acquired Laskie, which is a job-matching platform. Now, we can see why the first Twitter acquisition under Elon Musk was a job-matching startup.

Twitter Hiring is now activated for some verified organizations on the platform. Adam Ryan, the CEO of Workweek, has shared a screenshot of the feature in its profile while roasting Mark Zuckerberg for copying Twitter. The job listings will appear below the “Following” and “Followers” in rectangular boxes. Of course, verified organizations on Twitter that are already paying $1000 monthly need to pay an extra amount to use Twitter Hiring.

Many businesses currently use Twitter to advertise their brands and engage with consumers. Twitter now offers another channel for businesses to interact with prospective employees, thanks to the addition of job ads.

Additionally, Twitter itself is anticipated to benefit from the new functionality. Twitter gives users another reason to visit and stay on the platform by introducing job opportunities. Higher ad revenue and more chances for Twitter to monetize its platform could result from this increased engagement.


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iOS 16.6 is rolling out to patch several software flaws

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Apple has started rolling out iOS 16.6 to users. This update does not really bring any new features, but it’s basically a hotfix. It’s here to patch software flaws, essentially.

iOS 16.6 is now rolling out to patch software flaws, along with iPadOS 16.6

In addition to iOS 16.6, iPad OS 16.6 is also out. Both updates are here to patch vulnerabilities, actually. One of them is a vulnerability that impacts the Apple Neural Engine. The company says that an app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges, allowing an attacker to run any command on an iPhone or iPad. So, it’s important you update as soon as possible.

All iPhones from iPhone 8 and up will get this update, and the same goes for the iPad Pro (3rd gen) / iPad Air (3rd gen) / iPad Mini (5th gen) and later. The Find My app has a vulnerability that could allow sensitive location information to end up in the wrong hands. That’s another issue that Apple fixed here.

Patches for the Kernel side of things have also been issued

Apple also issued several patches for the Kernel part of the update. It seems like this vulnerability has already been exploited. It allows an app to modify sensitive kernel states. In other words, an attacker can manipulate how iOS works.

Apple also listed two vulnerabilities that it fixed on the WebKit browser engine side of things. Some of these have also been exploited, it seems.

Now, if you want to install this update, you can wait for the phone to notify you, or go check whether it’s available for yourself. Simply go to Settings -> General -> Software Update, and follow directions.

It is also worth noting that, in addition to iOS 16.6 and iPadOS 16.6, Apple also released watchOS 9.6, macOS 13.5, and tvOS 16.6 updates.


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