Apple’s Urgent Patch: Legacy iPhones Fixed, Exploits Blocked.
Apple has released critical security updates for legacy iPhone and iPad models, addressing three high-severity vulnerabilities that were actively exploited by threat actors. The patches have been integrated into earlier versions of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, enabling even long-retired devices to receive essential protection.
The first flaw, a use-after-free vulnerability in the Core Media component (CVE-2025-24085), allowed malicious applications to escalate privileges. While its CVSS score stands at 7.8, the confirmed exploitation in the wild significantly amplifies its risk. The issue has been resolved in macOS Sonoma 14.7.5, Ventura 13.7.5, and iPadOS 17.7.6.
The second vulnerability (CVE-2025-24200, CVSS: 6.1) pertains to the Accessibility component. It permitted attackers to disable USB restricted mode on a locked device, potentially facilitating cyber-physical attacks through direct access. The fix has been issued in iOS and iPadOS versions 15.8.4 and 16.7.11.
Most severe among the trio is CVE-2025-24201 (CVSS: 8.8), a flaw in WebKit that enabled malicious content to escape the browser’s sandbox, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution upon visiting a crafted webpage. Corresponding patches were included in iOS 15.8.4, 16.7.11, and matching iPadOS builds.
Remarkably, Apple extended these fixes to devices no longer receiving regular updates—among them, the iPhone 6s, 7, first-generation SE, iPad Air 2, fourth-generation iPad mini, and even the seventh-generation iPod touch. The updates also reached the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, X, several iPad Pro models, and fifth and sixth-generation iPads.
In parallel, Apple has rolled out extensive updates to its flagship systems. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 resolve 62 vulnerabilities; macOS Sequoia 15.4 addresses 131; tvOS 18.4 mitigates 36; visionOS 2.4, 38; and Safari 18.4, 14. Though none of these have yet been exploited in the wild, Apple urges users to update without delay.
The release of these patches affirms Apple’s commitment to safeguarding even its legacy hardware in the face of critical threats. It also underscores the importance of keeping software current—especially on aging devices, which often become prime targets in real-world attacks.