Apple fixes critical vulnerability in old iPhone software

Apple recently started rolling out iOS 17.1, which not only brings several software improvements but also fixes several bugs.

Published: Oct 28, 2023, 12:20 PM IST

Apple is rolling out a fix for iPhones running on iOS 14.

Apple has fixed a vulnerability in its iPhone software that allegedly came with an iOS update which was launched in 2020. The feature in iOS 14 would prevent nearby wireless routers and access points from gathering an Apple device’s unique MAC address, reports TechCrunch. A device’s MAC addresses can be used for tracking. The tech giant has fixed the vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2023-42846, with the release of iOS 17.1 and iOS 16.7.2 for older devices that can run iOS 16.

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Apple did not disclose the severity of the bug, but security researchers noted that the vulnerability rating score system classifies it as “high.” Security researchers Tommy Mysk and Talal Haj Bakry discovered the flaw and submitted a security report to Apple in July.

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Apple fixed several other vulnerabilities with iOS 17.1, including a flaw that may have allowed an attacker to access passkeys without authentication. The latest iOS update offers fixes for several known issues related to the responsiveness of keyboards, displaying names of incoming callers and displaying image persistence. iOS 17.1 addresses an issue with the search function in the Messages app in ‌iOS 17‌.

Some ‌iPhone 15‌ users have been able to search for older messages after transferring their data over from an older ‌iPhone‌. The Messages search feature only works for recent messages, but the update fixes the issue, according to reports. iOS 17.1 fixes an issue that “may cause display image persistence,” a problem that has been noticed on multiple iPhone models. Other fixes resolve an issue where the names of incoming callers may not appear when you are on another call and an issue that may cause the keyboard to be less responsive.

Other than issues, iOS 17.1 also brings some new features for the iPhone. There is a new Favorite button in Apple Music, allowing you to directly add a song or a playlist to your Favorites, which is a new section available in the library. You can now transfer files using AirDrop even when iPhone devices are not in range through an internet connection. iPhone models with ProMotion displays, such as the iPhone 15 Pro, get the facility to allow you to control widgets on the Standby mode.