iOS 14.8, macOS Big Sur 11.6 and other updates rushed out to block zero-click invasive spyware on consumer devices.
A day before Apple is expected to release iOS 15 and other new software versions alongside the iPhone 13 launch, the company released iOS 14.8 as an emergency update to fix an exploit that allowed spyware reportedly like that used by the Israel-based NSO Group to infect iPhones, Apple Watches, and Mac computers without users needing to click on anything. The exploit is serious enough for Apple to have been sprinting to fix it since the company was alerted to it last Tuesday by Canadian cybersecurity firm Citizen Lab, per the New York Times. In addition to iOS 14.8, Apple released iPadOS 14.8, watchOS 7.6.2, and macOS Big Sur 11.6, which users are advised to download immediately. It’s unclear if the exploit affects beta versions of upcoming software like iOS 15 (we’ve reached out to Apple to confirm).
