Apple urges users to update to iOS 17.4 due to critical security flaw

Apple’s frequent iOS updates have long been a subject of both appreciation and occasional eye-rolls.

However, the recent iOS 17.4 release isn’t about adding a couple of eyebrow-lifting emojis or sprucing up the aesthetic appeal of your home screen.

There’s more to dig into beneath the surface; let’s take a glance through the new peephole and what’s really cooking under the hood.

A couple of potential security issues have been resolved (Apple didn’t specify whether they were acting up during their work hours or after). Nevertheless, the hardworking folks at Apple have sufficiently patched it.

The security patches swipe clean the iPhone’s kernel and RTKit – which don’t start googling the jargon just yet; we’ll veer into that territory soon enough.

How to update your iPhone to iOS 17.4

Would you like a quick tutorial? Here, I’m going to show you anyway.

Here’s the quick version: To download the update, follow these steps: Settings > General > Software Update > Install Now, and voila! Do follow the subsequent instructions in detail; if you don’t, folks, you’re walking on thin ice here.

Pro Tip

While you’re still on the update menu, tap on Automatic Updates and make sure that both toggles next to Download iOS Updates and Install iOS Updates are green. By doing this, you’ll never have to update your iPhone again manually.

The iPhone’s kernel and RTKit act as the unsung heroes in this update.

In non-tech terms, imagine the kernel as the conductor of an orchestra; it sets the tempo and controls all the operations within your operating system, ensuring each section (hardware and software) works harmoniously.

On the other hand, RTKit serves as Apple’s version of a ‘timekeeper.’ It’s akin to the precise workings of a clock, making sure everything within the system happens exactly when it should, crucial for instantaneous applications.

In an almost poetic description, Apple explains that an attacker armed with arbitrary kernel read and write capability could jump over these kernel memory protections. Evidently, tech warfare isn’t pretty.

If you want to dive into the nuts and bolts of these newly patched exploits, here’s how they’re classified in the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) database:

The iOS 17.4 update also fixes Safari’s private browsing mode bug that could make hidden tabs visible when switching tab groups. So far, according to Apple, these issues have not been exploited in real-time.

If any malevolent actor dodged past these defenses, your system could plunge into dangerous territory. Thankfully, a two-minute update solves that. So, get to it. Put the phone down, put it on a charger, and get it updated.

Do you have any thoughts on this? Please leave a comment below or take the discussion to Twitter or Facebook.

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Kevin Raposo

Kevin is KnowTechie's founder and executive editor. With over 15 years of blogging experience in the tech industry, Kevin has transformed what was once a passion project into a full-blown tech news publication. Shoot him an email at kevin@knowtechie.com or find him on Mastodon or Post.