Apple introduced iOS 12.4.2 to fix a security bug that was found by Google Project Zero. After Tuesday’s launch of iOS 13.1, now seems an odd time to be updating last year’s version, but this patch is for iPhones and iPads made in 2014 and before that can’t upgrade to the new version.
In addition, the company released watchOS 5.3.2 for early Apple Watch models. Plus there’s a fresh security update for macOS Mojave 10.14.6. All take care of the same bug.
Just an iPhone security patch…
Apple’s support website says that iOS 12.4.2 removes a vulnerability in which “a remote attacker may be able to cause unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution.”
The patch is available for iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, and iPad touch 6th generation.
Anyone device that has make the jump to the newly-released iOS 13.1 doesn’t need to be concerned about this, as that version surely has its own fix.
…and an Apple Watch patch too
Apparently the same software vulnerability in older iPhones extends to Apple Watch Series 1 and Apple Watch Series 2. Hence the creation of watchOS 5.3.2.
This is only for those two devices that can’t upgrade to watchOS 6.
Don’t forget macOS Mojave 10.14.6
This same bug, CVE-2019-8641, also affects Macs. That caused Apple to introduce macOS Mojave 10.14.6 Supplemental Update 2, as well as security patches for Sierra and High Sierra.
While the other patches have been for older models, macOS Catalina won‘t debut until next month so a great many many Macs are still running Mojave 10.14.6.
Source: Apple, Apple and Apple
