Apple pushes 'critical' software alerts to iPhones running out-of-date versions of iOS here's how to stay safe

Date:
Sun, 29 Mar 2026 17:30:00 +0000

Description:
Apple is taking an additional step to keep older iPhones protected from the latest exploits.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member
features. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting
your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter Apple is pushing iOS alerts to older handsets You need to apply the latest updates to stay protected This affects iOS 13 through to iOS 17.2.1 Earlier this month Apple took the rare step of issuing a public security warning to users running out-of-date versions of iOS on their iPhones, and how the company has gone further, pushing alerts to the lock screens of vulnerable devices.

As spotted by MacRumors , the alert comes labeled as a "Critical Software" update, and urges users to get their phones patched to protect against "attacks targeting out-of-date iOS software, including the version on your iPhone". The attacks Apple is referring to here include fraudulent and compromising web links created through the exploit kits Coruna and DarkSword. As the official support document says, following one of these links could put your device at risk. Article continues below You may like Apple warns iOS users to urgently update their devices as new hack emerges Apple just patched some versions of iOS that are over a decade old - so you might want to hold
on to your old iPhone for a bit A devious new Apple Pay scam is hitting millions heres how to stay safe

The exploits can work on phones running iOS 13 all the way up to iOS 17.2.1, and the equivalent iPadOS versions are affected too. Apple has been
delivering patches to protect against this attacks which you should install, if you haven't already. How to stay protected Keep your iPhone updated to
stay safe (Image credit: Future) The fix for this is straightforward: update your phone through General > Software Update in Settings. All versions of iOS from iOS 15 onwards are now protected against these threats, and will block access to the malicious links that have been identified.

If you're still on iOS 13 or iOS 14, you need to update to at least iOS 15 at your earliest opportunity. iOS 15 is compatible with handsets as far back as the iPhone 6S , launched in 2015, so it's only on really old iPhones you'll still have a problem.

For those of you using anything older than 2015, it might be time to consider investing in a new iPhone otherwise you're going to leave yourself rather exposed to these issues. There are no fixes coming for those really old software versions. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox
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Apple says if you're unable to update your iPhone for whatever reason, you
can consider enabling Lockdown Mode. This is a super-secure iOS configuration that adds extra protections, but it's only available on iOS 16 and later. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/phones/iphone/apple-pushes-critical-software-alerts- to-iphones-running-out-of-date-versions-of-ios-heres-how-to-stay-safe


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