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."

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.

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