iOS Emergency Software Update!

Do you own an iPhone or an iPad? Did you recently update to iOS 16.6.1? IF NOT, this important information pertains to you.

Apple has issued an emergency warning to update to iOS 16.6.1 or iPadOS 16.6.1 right away.

The update fixes security vulnerabilities that Apple says could be used to attack iPhones and iPads. “Processing a maliciously crafted image may lead to arbitrary code execution,” the company said last Thursday. “Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited.”

The warning means that hackers may already be exploiting the security vulnerabilities, in some cases to install Pegasus, the spyware supplied to governments by the NSO Group.

Just who is the NSO?
NSO Group Technologies (NSO standing for Niv, Shalev and Omri, the names of the company’s founders) is an Israeli cyber-intelligence firm primarily known for its proprietary spyware Pegasus, which is capable of remote zero-click surveillance of smartphones.

NSO claims that it provides authorized governments with technology that helps them combat terror and crime. The company says that it deals with government clients only. Pegasus spyware is classified as a weapon by Israel and any export of the technology must be approved by the government.

According to several reports, NSO Group spyware has been used to target human rights activists and journalists in various countries, was used for state espionage against Pakistan, for warrantless domestic surveillance of Israeli citizens by Israeli police and played a role in the murder of Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi by agents of the Saudi government.

Does the US Government use Pegasus spyware?
Grilled by lawmakers at a House Intelligence Committee hearing in March 2022, FBI Director Christopher A. Wray said the bureau purchased a license for Pegasus spyware only to evaluate it, and never used it. “The FBI has not and did not use the NSO products operationally in any investigation.”

In 2021, Apple filed a lawsuit against NSO in the U.S., and the US included the NSO Group in its “Entity List” for acting against U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, effectively banning U.S. companies from supplying NSO.

Even if this “tool” is only supposed to be sold to and used by government entities, it’s important that we, as Apple technology users, keep our devices updated and protected.

If you haven’t updated yet, I strongly recommend getting this update done ASAP.