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You Need to Download iOS 18.1.1 to Your iPhone Right Now

According to Apple, the update provides two important security fixes to your device.

Zachary McAuliffe Staff writer
Zach began writing for CNET in November, 2021 after writing for a broadcast news station in his hometown, Cincinnati, for five years. You can usually find him reading and drinking coffee or watching a TV series with his wife and their dog.
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Zachary McAuliffe
2 min read
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Apple released iOS 18.1.1 on Nov. 19, less than a month after the tech giant released iOS 18.1. While that update brought a few new features to many iPhones, like call recording, iOS 18.1.1 has important security patches that Apple said may have been actively exploited. The company recommends everyone download the update now.

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To download the update, go to Settings > General > Software Update, tap Update Now and follow the prompts on your screen. 

Read more: Everything You Need to Know About iOS 18

According to Apple, the update patches two security issues. One issue is with JavaScriptCore, which is the framework that allows your iPhone to run JavaScript code. In an online post on Apple Support, Apple wrote that interacting with maliciously crafted web content could lead to arbitrary code execution. According to IT services company Okta, arbitrary code execution allows a third party to execute commands on your device.

The other issue is with WebKit, Apple's in-house-developed internet browser engine used in Safari. Apple wrote that if you interact with maliciously crafted web content, it could lead to a cross-site scripting attack. According to the OWASP Foundation, a cybersecurity nonprofit, this kind of attack could expose cookies, session tokens and other sensitive information stored on your browser to a third party.

Apple wrote that both issues were reported by researchers with Google's Threat Analysis Group. The group said it works to protect its users from government-sponsored hacking and disinformation. However, Apple didn't disclose any other details about the iOS vulnerabilities Google's researchers found. 

For more on iOS 18, here's everything you need to know about iOS 18.1, my iOS 18 review and our iOS 18 cheat sheet. You can also check out what iOS 18.2 could bring to your iPhone soon.

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