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iPhone users have been urged to install the latest iOS update or run the risk of people reading their messages.
Apple released a new iPhone update, iOS 27.2.1, in recent hours. Unlike other recent releases from Apple, the update does not bring major new features or changes – but it might actually be more important.
The official release notes only say that the update “provides bug fixes and security updates for your iPhone”. There, it gave no information about what those bugs were – but further information from Apple makes clear that they could be potentially damaging.
A host of the bugs relate to flaws in iMessage, for instance. One would allow a hacker to join a group chat without being invited, and see messages that had been sent into it, and another would let people see messages that were sent in a group before they joined.
Others relate to the ways that Apple’s devices connected to each other. Two relate to Bluetooth, one of which could potentially let hackers use a wireless device to run their own code on a device.
Apple did not say that any of the bugs have actually been exploited by hackers, however. “This is about getting the update installed promptly rather than panic,” said Adam Boynton, senior enterprise strategy manager at Jamf.
It can be installed by heading to the Settings app, clicking “general” and then software update. iPhones and other Apple devices will also probably prompt users to install the update, or it may be installed automatically on devices where that feature is turned on.
Other recent updates from Apple have brought more significant updates. The version before the new release – iOS 27.2 – added a whole host of upgrades, including letting Siri remember remember previous conversations as well as changes to the Messages and Photos app.
