Millions of Apple iPhone, iPad users at risk of security flaw: Here's what to know

Millions of Apple iPhone users could be at risk of hackers gaining control of their devices and stealing valuable information. 

Dig deeper:

Last month, Apple alerted users about two critical vulnerabilities in WebKit, which is used to power Safari, as well as every browser that runs on iOS. 

The security flaw basically allows malicious websites to trick iPhones and iPads into running harmful code, which could then allow hackers to gain control of the device, giving them access to passwords and payment information. 

iOS 26 fixes the security flaw

Apple released a fix back in September, but there are still many users who have yet to download the latest software update. 

By the numbers:

Data from StatCounter found that about 20% of users have downloaded the update. 

Certain models are at higher risk

There are certain device models that are at higher risk of being impacted by the security flaws if they are not updated, according to Apple. 

The models include: 

• iPhone 11 and later
• iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation and later
• iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later
• iPad Air 3rd generation and later
• iPad 8th generation and later
• iPad mini 5th generation and later

Update your iPhone or iPad

What you can do:

To avoid having your valuable information stolen, download Apple’s most-recent software update. 

Here’s how: 

• Open the settings app
• Click "general" 
• Click software update
• Download and install iOS 26.2 or iPadOS 26.2 or later