Apple has released updates for the iPhone, iPad, Macs, and Apple Watch. Although the updates for each device are minor, they address the WebKit vulnerability. The company has also assured it has fixed a bug that would cause MacBook laptops to unexpectedly drain their battery.
The Apple iOS and iPadOS 15.3.1 is a minor update. It actually doesn’t contain any major features. However, it will be useful for people who work with Braille displays. Additionally, the update addresses an arbitrary code execution vulnerability. The update notes for the iOS 15.3.1 mention:
iOS 15.3.1 provides important security updates for your iPhone and fixes an issue that may cause Braille displays to stop responding.
Apple has also published information about the WebKit security vulnerability that the security update patches:
WebKit
Available for: iPhone 6s and later, iPad Pro (all models), iPad Air 2 and later, iPad 5th generation and later, iPad mini 4 and later, and iPod touch (7th generation)
Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited.
Description: A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management.
CVE-2022-22620: an anonymous researcher
The macOS Monterey 12.2.1, meant for the older MacBook line of laptops, addresses a weird and concerning bug. This bug mainly affects devices that run on Intel CPUs. The update notes for the macOS Monterey 12.2.1 mention:
macOS 12.2.1 provides important security updates and fixes an issue for Intel-based Mac computers that may cause the battery to drain during sleep when connected to Bluetooth peripherals.
The bug appeared randomly, but would rapidly drain MacBook batteries to zero percent or close. Several owners of Intel-based MacBook laptops observed their devices were completely devoid of battery power after remaining idle or in sleep mode.
It turns out, Bluetooth accessories were repeatedly waking up MacBook laptops to which they were synced. Apple has assured that it has fixed the bug with the latest update.
Apple hasn’t offered any details about the watchOS 8.4.2 update for the Apple Watch. The company merely mentioned the update fixes bugs and provides security updates.
Source: ArsTechnica