IPhone and iPad users are being urged to update their devices to the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating software in order to fix a nasty security flaw that could allow hackers to take control of their devices.
READ MORE: Apple may not have enough iPhone 7 Plus smartphones to sell for Christmas
The security flaw made it possible for an attacker to perform an “arbitrary code execution” on a user’s device after they opened a malicious photo in the form of a JPEG file.
An arbitrary code execution means that a hacker would be able to take control of a victim’s device by asking it to run certain commands, or download private files from the infected device.
READ MORE: Here’s how much an iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will cost you in Canada
In this case, it seems hackers may have targeted users with a “maliciously crafted” JPEG file. But, according to Apple’s description of the flaw, it may have allowed an attacker to take over an iPhone or iPad after the user simply viewed a corrupted photo file.
How to protect yourself
To download iOS 10.1 and fix the flaw, unlock your device and tap on “Settings,” then “General.”
Next, tap on “Software Update” and the iOS 10.1 update should automatically appear.
Then tap “Download and Install.”
Apple usually recommends that you back up your device before installing new software to ensure you don’t lose any data. If you have photos or data that you don’t want to risk losing, you should back up your phone to iCloud or plug it in to a computer with iTunes before installing the update.
iOS 10.1 includes several other security fixes, as well as some new features for iPhone 7 users.
Comments