Apple has issued iOS 18.4, along with a number of cool new iPhone features. But the iOS 18.4 update also comes with a warning to update now, because it fixes a hefty list of 62 security vulnerabilities, some of which are serious.
Apple doesn’t give much detail about what’s fixed in iOS 18.4, to give people as much time to update their iPhones as possible before attackers can get hold of the details. But the iOS 18.4 upgrade patches several critical bugs in WebKit, the engine that underpins the Safari browser — and the Kernel at the heart of the iPhone operating system.
Apple’s iOS 18.4 patches an issue in the iPhone Kernel tracked as tracked as CVE-2025-30432, that could see a malicious app able to attempt passcode entries on a locked device and cause escalating time delays after four failures.
Tracked as CVE-2025-24208, a bug in WebKit could put you at risk from a cross-site scripting attack — where an attacker injects malicious scripts into a trusted website — if you inadvertently load a malicious iframe, Apple warns on its support page.
The iOS 18.4 patches come less than a month after Apple’s emergency iPhone update 18.3.2, which fixed a flaw already being used in real-life attacks.
Apple does not mention any of the vulnerabilities squashed in iOS 18.4 have been exploited in real-life scenarios yet. However, now the details are out there, it becomes more urgent to apply the update now.
Apple Issues iPadOS 17.7.6, iOS 16.7.11 And iOS 15.8.4
Alongside iOS 18.4, Apple has issued iPadOS 17.7.6 for older devices the iPad Pro 12.9-inch 2nd generation, iPad Pro 10.5-inch, and iPad 6th generation. The update fixes a number of flaws, the most notable being an issue in CoreMedia that could allow a malicious application to elevate privileges, tracked as CVE-2025-24085. “Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited against versions of iOS before iOS 17.2,” the iPhone maker warns.
Meanwhile, iOS 16.7.11 for the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPad 5th generation, iPad Pro 9.7-inch, and iPad Pro 12.9-inch 1st generation fixes two issues used in real life attacks.
Lastly, Apple has squashed the same bugs for very old devices the iPhone 6, iPhone 7, iPhone SE (1st generation), iPad Air 2, iPad mini (4th generation), and iPod touch (7th generation) in iOS 15.8.4.
Why You Should Update To iOS 18.4 Now
Apple’s iOS 18.4 fixes more than 60 issues — one of the biggest list of patches I’ve seen from the iPhone maker in recent times. Adding to the urgency, iOS 18.4 and the other upgrades issued alongside it include important security updates for your iPhone — some of which have been used in real-life attacks. “These vulnerabilities could potentially allow malicious code to run on affected devices, putting data at risk as well as the device itself at risk of a remote denial of service attack,” says Jake Moore, global cybersecurity advisor at ESET.
He recommends all users install the iOS 18.4 update “as soon as possible to ensure devices remain protected against these known threats.”
I agree. Apple’s iOS 18.4 includes a long list of patched flaws, so it’s a good idea to apply it now. Go to your Settings > General > Software Update and download and install iOS 18.4 now to keep your iPhone safe.
