- Apple releases update to iOS and iPados devices with security patches
- It claims that the update resolves an error disabling USB -limited mode
- The Bug was abused in nature, Apple says
Apple has released a new patch for iOS and iPados devices to fix a recently discovered error – which would usually be no extraordinary if Apple had not described the patched vulnerability as dramatically as it did.
In a security counseling, the company said it released iOS 18.3.1 and iPados 18.3.1 to tackle the CVE-2025-24200, a mistake that plagues many of its iPhones and iPads that could allow a malicious actor to run a “Physical attack” it disables USB -limited mode on a locked device.
USB-limited mode is a security feature that prevents data transfer through lightning (or USB-C) port when the device is locked for more than an hour. This helps protect against hacking tools that try to bypass passwords or extract data via USB connections.
Breaking to Locked iPhones
Apple said it solved the problem of improved state management, but added: “Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack on specific targeted individuals.”
The wording here, although not specific, the vulnerability may have been used by law enforcement and other state -sponsored agencies to unlock iPhones from individuals of great interest.
Apple has a long history of conflict with the US government. While the latter, after a few occasions, demanded that Apple transfer access to iPhones seized by alleged terrorists and other criminals, Apple fell hard and argued that such a movement would undermine the privacy of all users and thus destroy the brand itself.
As a result, the US government hired third -party cyber security agencies that claimed they had working methods to break into locked iPhones. Seam Techcrunch Reported recently, Amnesty International, a series of attacks by Serbian authorities, used to use cellbrite, an Israeli digital intelligence company known for its telephone association tools allegedly used to extract data from locked and encrypted smartphones, to lock phones from activists and journalists up ashore, then install malware on them.
Via Techcrunch
