December was a busy month for updates as companies together with Apple and Google rushed to get patches out to repair critical flaws of their merchandise earlier than the vacation break.
Enterprise software program giants additionally issued their fair proportion of patches, with Atlassian and SAP squashing a number of essential bugs throughout December.
Right here’s what that you must know in regards to the necessary updates you might need missed through the month.
Apple iOS
In mid-December, Apple launched iOS 17.2, a significant level improve containing options such because the Journal app, in addition to 12 safety patches. Among the many flaws mounted in iOS 17.2 is CVE-2023-42890, a problem within the WebKit browser engine that might enable an attacker to execute code.
One other flaw within the iPhone’s Kernel, tracked as CVE-2023-4291, might see an app escape of its safe sandbox, Apple wrote on its help web page. In the meantime, two vulnerabilities in ImageIO, CVE-2023-42898 and CVE-2023-42899, might result in code execution.
The iOS 17.2 replace additionally put a mechanism in place to stop a Bluetooth assault utilizing a penetration testing system known as Flipper Zero, in response to checks by ZDNET and 9to5Mac. The annoying denial of service cyber-assault might trigger a flurry of pop ups to look on an iPhone and finally lock up the system.
Apple additionally launched iOS 16.7.3, Safari 17.2, macOS Sonoma 14.2, macOS Ventura 13.6.3, macOS Monterey 12.7.2, tvOS 17.2 and watchOS 10.2.
Only one week after releasing iOS 17.2, Apple issued iOS 17.2.1 and iOS 16.7.4 for older gadgets, alongside macOS Sonoma 14.2.1. The shock iPhone replace accommodates unspecified bug and safety fixes, whereas the macOS patch fixes a single flaw tracked as CVE-2023-42940.
Google Android
The Google Android December Safety Bulletin was a hefty one, fixing practically 100 safety points. The replace contains patches for 2 essential points within the Framework, probably the most extreme of which might result in distant escalation of privilege with no further privileges wanted. Person interplay isn’t wanted for exploitation, Google mentioned.
CVE-2023-40088 is a essential flaw within the System that might result in distant code execution, whereas CVE-2023-40078 is an elevation of privilege bug rated as having a excessive impression.
Google has additionally issued an replace for its good system WearOS platform, fixing CVE-2023-40094, an elevation of privilege flaw. The Pixel Safety Bulletin has not been posted on the time of writing.
Google Chrome
Google ended a bumper December of updates in model with an emergency repair for its Chrome browser. The eighth zero-day vulnerability impacting Chrome in 2024, CVE-2023-7024 is a heap buffer overflow concern within the open supply WebRTC part. Google is “conscious that an exploit for CVE-2023-7024 exists within the wild,” the browser maker mentioned in an advisory.
It wasn’t the primary repair launched by Google in December. The software program big additionally issued a Chrome patch mid-month to repair 9 safety points. Of the failings reported by exterior researchers, 5 are rated as having a excessive severity, together with CVE-2023-6702, a sort confusion flaw in V8, and 4 use-after-free bugs.