Apple has rolled out iOS 18.1.1, an emergency iPhone software update that addresses critical security vulnerabilities but, according to some users, hasn’t fixed several bugs.
The latest update is crucial for iPhone users, as it patches two serious flaws that have been actively exploited. Here’s everything we know about iOS 18.1.1, including user feedback and expert insights.
On November 19, Apple released iOS 18.1.1 to address two significant security issues that could potentially allow attackers to take control of affected devices. According to Apple’s support page, the vulnerabilities involve the JavaScriptCore framework and the WebKit engine, which powers the Safari browser.
The first vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2024-44308, is in that framework. If exploited, it could enable arbitrary code execution when a user interacts with malicious web content.
Apple Inc.
The second flaw, CVE-2024-44309, affects WebKit and could lead to cross-site scripting attacks, exposing sensitive information like cookies and session tokens.
Apple acknowledged that the vulnerabilities “may have been actively exploited on Intel-based Mac systems,” underscoring the urgency for users to update their devices immediately.
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a warning encouraging users and administrators to apply the necessary updates promptly.
“CISA encourages users and administrators to review the following advisories and apply necessary updates,” the statement read.
CISA’s alert lists iOS 18.1.1 among other critical updates like iPadOS 18.1.1, macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 and Safari 18.1.1, emphasizing the widespread impact of the vulnerabilities across Apple’s ecosystem.
“Apple released security updates to address vulnerabilities in multiple Apple products,” CISA said, adding that “a cyber threat actor could exploit some of these vulnerabilities to take control of an affected system.”
Security experts have weighed in on the importance of the update. Sean Wright, head of application security at Featurespace, said that the JavaScriptCore vulnerability could allow attackers to execute code remotely on devices.
“This code would hopefully be limited to existing sandbox protections, but it could allow attackers to redirect users to malicious sites and potentially steal session tokens,” he told Forbes.
Mixed Reactions from iPhone Users
While the update is critical for security, user reactions have been mixed. Some iPhone users expressed satisfaction with bug fixes to the original iOS 16. One Reddit user said: “All I cared for was a bug fix for my iMessage stickers. And it was fixed, so it’s a sunny day today.”
However, others reported ongoing issues and unaddressed bugs including “the annoying media control bug after StandBy mode,” and “oversaturated screenshots.”
On X, formerly Twitter, user frustrations were also evident. One user humorously vented about the redesigned Photos app: “I just updated to iOS 18 and whoever designed this new Photos app, I hope 1. you never find a parking spot, 2. your food orders are always wrong…”
Another user highlighted a bug affecting Dark Mode: “iOS 18.1.1 bug spotted – I have dark mode on but only some of my app icons are changing. I have to toggle on and off Dark Mode for it to actually kick in. Anyone experiencing this issue?”
Additionally, some users have reported significant battery drain after installing iOS 18.1.1. according to The Daily Mail.
Experts suggest that battery drain after a major update is normal because of background processes like indexing and recalibrating the battery. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, a researcher at ZDNet, explained: “Installing a new OS on an iPhone triggers a lot of stuff to go on in the background…this can go on for hours or even days.”
While iOS 18.1.1 focuses on security fixes, users interested in new features might look forward to iOS 18.2. The iOS 18.2 public beta introduces features like Apple Intelligence (AI) enhancements, including Genmoji—a tool that allows users to create custom emojis based on text descriptions.
Other additions in the beta include improvements to the Find My app, new mail categories and Visual Intelligence, which is Apple’s answer to Google Lens. However, these features are currently available only to developers and beta testers with specific iPhone models.
