Apple Urges Immediate Update to iOS 18.3.1 to Address Critical Security Flaw

The emergency patch fixes a vulnerability in USB Restricted Mode already exploited in targeted attacks against high-profile individuals.

Apple has released iOS 18.3.1 as an emergency security update to fix a vulnerability in USB Restricted Mode, which protects devices from unauthorized data access through USB connections.
The flaw, tracked as CVE-2025-24200, allowed attackers to disable USB Restricted Mode on locked devices, potentially enabling full administrative access to the device.
The vulnerability has been exploited in sophisticated, targeted attacks primarily aimed at high-profile individuals such as journalists, dissidents, and government officials.
The update was informed by a report from The Citizen Lab, a research organization specializing in digital espionage against civil society, emphasizing the severity of the issue.
Users are strongly advised to update their devices immediately to mitigate the risk, with the patch available for iPhone XS and later models, as well as various iPad and macOS devices.