The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has issued a high-risk warning regarding multiple vulnerabilities found in various Apple products, following the recent launch of the iPhone 16 series. The advisory, released on September 19, highlights significant security flaws in several Apple software versions, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and visionOS.

Affected Products

The vulnerabilities affect a wide range of Apple products, specifically:
iOS: Versions prior to 18 and 17.7
iPadOS: Versions prior to 18 and 17.7
macOS Sonoma: Versions prior to 14.7
macOS Ventura: Versions prior to 13.7
macOS Sequoia: Versions prior to 15
tvOS: Versions prior to 18
watchOS: Versions prior to 11
Safari: Versions prior to 18
Xcode: Versions prior to 16
visionOS: Versions prior to 2
Key Risks and Impacts
CERT-In has rated these vulnerabilities as “high” risk. If exploited, they could allow attackers to:
Gain unauthorized access to sensitive information
Execute arbitrary code on the device
Bypass critical security restrictions
Cause denial-of-service (DoS) conditions
Elevate privileges to gain control over the system
Perform spoofing attacks
Engage in cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks
Potential Impacts by Product
Specific impacts vary by product:
iOS and iPadOS: Users may face DoS attacks and information disclosure.
macOS (Sonoma, Ventura, Sequoia): Risks include data manipulation and privilege elevation.
tvOS and watchOS: Vulnerable to DoS attacks and XSS threats.
Safari and Xcode: Older versions may be susceptible to spoofing.
visionOS: Users could experience data manipulation and DoS risks.

CERT-In Recommendations
To mitigate these risks, CERT-In urges all users to update their Apple devices to the latest software versions immediately. Additionally, users should monitor their devices for any unusual activity and ensure robust cybersecurity measures are in place.

This advisory serves as a crucial reminder for Apple users to prioritize software updates for enhanced security and protection against potential cyber threats.