iOS 18.3.1—Urgent Update Alert for All iPhone Users
Apple has released iOS 18.3.1 as an emergency update to fix a serious security flaw that hackers have already used in real attacks. The issue affects USB Restricted Mode, a security feature that prevents unauthorized access to your iPhone’s data through the USB-C or Lightning port. This flaw could allow attackers to disable the feature, potentially exposing sensitive information.
The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-24200, was discovered by The Citizen Lab, a research group that investigates digital espionage. Apple has acknowledged that this issue was exploited in a highly sophisticated attack targeting specific individuals, such as journalists, activists, and government officials.
Security researcher Josh Long explained that USB Restricted Mode, introduced in iOS 11.4.1, ensures that...