iOS 18.3.1 update patches a physical iPhone exploit

Apple's iOS 18.3.1 — the latest version of its iPhone operating system — features a key security update to patch a physical exploit.

Apple hasn't released too many details about the issue — after all, it wouldn't want to alert potential wrongdoers to a flaw they could exploit — but it involves Apple's USB Restricted Mode feature. Effectively, the patch prevents hackers from accessing data on a locked device.

"A physical attack may disable USB Restricted Mode on a locked device," wrote Apple on its support page. "Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals."

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The security update was also part of iPadOS 18.3.1, and an identical fix for older iPads was included in iPadOS 17.7.5.

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If security is a major concern, you should update your operating system as soon as possible.