Apple warns iOS 13, 14 users to upgrade immediately: Here's why

Many iPhone users are still running on older iOS, some due to habit and some simply because of procrastination! But this is now going to change as the tech giant has a warning. Apple has urged all iPhone users, especially those who are still running on iOS 13 or iOS 14, to immediately upgrade to iOS 15 or above, as per their device’s compatibility.  Also Read: Apple beats its PLI goal by 80 percent as India iPhone production jumps

This is a simple protocol when your device remains on an older version for a longer period and makes it prone to be hacked by malicious data. Apple has released a Support Document, which suggests that security researchers have identified web-based attacks that are targeting out-of-date iOS versions via malicious web content. “If you’re using an older version of iOS and were to click a malicious link or visit a compromised website, the data on your iPhone might be at risk of being stolen,” the document added. Also Read: Forget iPhone 17e, Apple may finally launch iPhone 18e with Dynamic Island in 2027

What Apple has said

In its latest support document, Apple has pointed towards new hacking tools that are actively targeting older iOS versions. These tools, reportedly named Coruna and DarkSword, are designed to exploit vulnerabilities across multiple iOS versions, especially older ones. What this means in simple terms is that if your iPhone is not updated, it becomes easier for these tools to break into the system through malicious links or compromised websites.  Also Read: How I recovered my WhatsApp chats after losing everything in one click

Apple has clearly mentioned that if your iPhone is not updated to the latest software, then you must do so to protect your data.

What should you do?

The good part is that Apple has already patched most of these vulnerabilities over the past few months. So, if you are running a relatively newer version of iOS, starting from iOS 15 and above, your device is already protected against these attacks. That means if you have updated to the latest version, you don’t really need to panic. 

However, the devices with older versions need to bring their attention here. On the other hand, the devices which are running on iOS 13 or iOS 14 should upgrade to iOS 15 right now. The tech giant has recently rolled out new updates for iOS 15 and iOS 16 on March 11, specifically to fix these security gaps. 

Apart from software updates, Apple already has some built-in protection systems working in the background. For example, Safari’s Safe Browsing feature (enabled by default) helps block known malicious websites and links. This acts as the first layer of defence if you accidentally open something risky.

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For users who cannot update their device immediately, there’s also an option called Lockdown Mode. Available on iOS 16 and above, this feature adds extra security by limiting potential attack points like unknown images, links, and certain web features.