Apple Releases iOS 17.1.2 and macOS 14.1.2 to Fix WebKit Vulnerabilities

Apple released yesterday iOS 17.1.2, iPadOS 17.1.2, and macOS 14.1.2 to fix two zero-day vulnerabilities in WebKit, the company’s browser engine that powers Safari and all third-party web browsers on iPhones and iPads. Apple said that the two vulnerabilities are already being exploited by attackers, so it’s recommended to upgrade your devices as soon as possible.

Apple said in the release notes for iOS 17.1.2 and macOS 14.1.2 that the first vulnerability may “disclose sensitive information” when processing web content. The second one, however, may lead to arbitrary code execution when browsing the web with a WebKit-based web browser.

WebKit vulnerabilities on iOS and iPadOS can be pretty serious as all web browsers on these two platforms currently have to use Apple’s rendering engine. However, that may finally change next year when the EU’s Digital Markets Act forces Apple to allow users to sideload apps on iPhones and iPads. Google and Mozilla already confirmed that they are both readying new iOS web browsers that use Blink and Gecko, respectively.

For Mac users running either macOS Monterey or macOS Ventura, a Safari update is also available to address the same two WebKit vulnerabilities. Of course, Mac users are already free to use web browsers that use other rendering engines than Apple’s WebKit so that’s probably less of an issue. If you use Chrome, however, be aware that Google also released a security update earlier this week to fix seven vulnerabilities including one zero-day.