Apple releases iOS 14.4.2 and iOS 12.5.2 to address critical security vulnerabilities

Apple today released iOS 14.4.2 for iPhone and iPad, and watchOS 7.3.3 for Apple Watch. The updates include an important security fix for WebKit, which, according to Apple, may have been actively exploited.

The company also released a patch update for iOS 12, version 12.5.2, so that users of the iPhone 6, iPhone 5s, third generation iPad mini, first generation iPad Air and sixth generation iPod touch can also benefit from the security fixes.

Apple said a bug in WebKit could allow a malicious website to activate arbitrary cross-site scripting. The company said it is aware of a report that this bug was being exploited in the wild.

This bug fix update comes amid the beta seeds of the ongoing developer of the next major release, iOS 14.5, which we expect to be released to the public in April.

IOS 14.5 includes several feature enhancements, most notably the ability to unlock the iPhone using the Apple Watch while wearing a face mask, avoiding a common complaint with the facial ID. It will also introduce Application Tracking Transparency, a new permissions dialog that applications must display before sharing user identification information with third parties.