New macOS 12.5.1 and iOS 15.6.1 updates fix 'actively exploited' vulnerabilities

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Apple has released a trio of operating system updates to fix security vulnerabilities that it says "may have been actively exploited." macOS 12.5.1, iOS 15.6.1 and iPadOS 15.6.1 updates are available to download now and should be installed as soon as possible.

The three updates all fix the same pair of bugs. One, labeled CVE-2022-32894, is a kernel vulnerability that can allow applications to "execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges." content." Both findings are attributed to an anonymous security researcher. WebKit is used in the Safari browser as well as apps like Mail that use Apple's WebViews to render and display content.

Apple has not released equivalent security patches for macOS Catalina or Big Sur, two older versions of macOS that still receive regular security updates. We've contacted Apple to find out if they plan to release these fixes for these older operating systems, or if they're bug-free and don't need fixing.

Apple's software release notes for updates do not reference any other fixes or features. Apple is actively developing iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura, and those updates are expected to be released later this fall.