If you think your iPhone is totally safe from hackers, think again.
Apple just released a critical security update that everyone with an iPhone should install right away.
This isn’t just a routine upgrade — it’s designed to stop cybercriminals from sneaking into your phone and stealing your personal information like photos, messages, and app data.
What Does the iOS 18.5 Update Fix?
On May 12, Apple rolled out iOS 18.5, targeting a serious security flaw that affects nearly all iPhones from the XS model (2018) onward.
This update patches some newly discovered vulnerabilities—technically called CVEs—that hackers could use to sneak malware onto your phone.
Two of these vulnerabilities are triggered when someone opens a specially crafted photo or video file, which could crash apps or even corrupt your phone’s memory.
Basically, Apple has added stronger checks to prevent these dangerous files from causing damage or letting hackers slip in harmful code.
The Real Danger of Ignoring This Update
Here’s the catch: updating your phone isn’t always automatic, and getting every iPhone user to install the update is a massive challenge.
Experts from Safe Data Storage, a cloud backup and data security company, warn that a lot of people still think iPhones are immune to hacking.
But in reality, no device is 100% safe.
“Even if someone sends you an innocent-looking image, if your phone isn’t updated, that file could secretly give hackers access to your private info,” said a Safe Data Storage spokesperson in an interview with The Mirror.
How These Cyber Attacks Work
To put it simply, CVEs are weak spots in the software your iPhone uses to process media files.
When you open a photo or video, your phone expects everything to be just right.
Hackers create “maliciously crafted” files that break these rules in specific ways, causing apps to crash or, worse, letting hackers run malware on your phone.
Often, these malicious files arrive through phishing emails or fake websites, tricking you into clicking something harmful.
Once inside, the malware can grab your photos, texts, passwords, and even take control of your phone’s camera or microphone without you noticing.
Why This Matters for Work and Personal Privacy
For people who use their iPhones for work, the stakes are even higher.
A hacked phone can be a gateway for cybercriminals to infiltrate entire corporate networks — banks, healthcare providers, tech companies — putting sensitive information at risk.
And remember, your phone doesn’t have to be physically stolen for your data to be compromised.
Malware quietly copies your data and sends it off to hackers’ servers, and it can even leave a “backdoor” so attackers can keep coming back.
What You Can Do to Stay Safe
Even after installing iOS 18.5, experts emphasize that you still need to be careful about what you click.
James Knight, a digital security veteran with 25 years of experience, advises everyone to use spam filters to block phishing emails and to stay current on all security updates — not just on phones but on all your devices.
“Update your phone, update your laptop, update everything, even your smart fridge if you have one,” Knight told the Daily Mail.
“Keeping your software and browsers patched is absolutely key to staying ahead of hackers.”
