At the beginning of this week, Apple issued its second-ever Rapid Security Response for iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices with iOS 16.5.1 (a), iPadOS 16.5.1 (a), and macOS 13.4.1 (a). This security update would fix an issue where “processing web content may lead to arbitrary code execution.”
On a support page, the company said this issue was actively exploited, and this update would fix that. Unfortunately, for those who quickly downloaded these new versions, a bug prevented some websites from displaying content properly in iOS 16.
That said, Apple is now issuing Rapid Security Response updates for iOS 16.5.1 (c), iPadOS 16.5.1 (c), and macOS 13.4.1. (c) to address this bug. In addition, users can remove the Rapid Security Response and wait for iOS 16.6 to be released to fix this exploited bug.
- iPhone or iPad: Open Settings > About > iOS Version, then tap “Remove Security Response.” Tap Remove to confirm.
- Mac: Choose the Apple menu > About this Mac, then click More Information. Under macOS, click the Info (i) button next to the version number. Click Remove and Restart, then click to confirm.
These Rapid Security updates started rolling out with iOS 16.4.1, iPadOS 16.4.1, and macOS 13.3.1. While the update won’t change the iOS/macOS version, it will add an extra layer of protection.
Apple says that, by default, your device allows Rapid Security Responses to be applied automatically and, if necessary, will prompt you to restart your device. To check your device settings, follow the steps below:
- iPhone or iPad: Go to Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic updates, then make sure that “Security Responses & System Files” is turned on.
- Mac: Choose Apple menu > System Settings. Click General in the sidebar, then click Software Update on the right. Click the Show Details button next to Automatic Updates, then make sure that “Install Security Responses and system files” is turned on.
Unlike regular software updates, this one adds a letter at the end of the software version number, so users should install iOS 16.5.1 (c) and macOS 13.4.1 (c).
