If you're an iPhone user and like the vast majority of people you haven't yet updated your software to iOS 26 or above, you might want to rethink that decision.
That's because Apple is now pushing for anyone who has an iPhone 11 or above to make the update, after it added two crucial patches that could protect you from vicious malware attacks.
The tech company first released iOS 26 in September last year, with the most recent version iOS 26.2 available for updates from 12 December, however a lot of iPhone users have resisted the new update after people claimed the software had 'ruined' a key feature on the devices.
That's because the fresh update comes with the new 'Liquid Glass' style and added screen customisation, which many have called the biggest iPhone update in years.
What is the risk for iPhone users?
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Apple has just fixed two security holes in its WebKit browser engine that were being used by spyware to hack into people's devices.
While it's good news that a fix has been issued, this will only apply to devices that have been updated and restarted since the patches were applied on 12 December.
So, if you have an iPhone 11 or higher — because these are the only devices eligible to install the new software — and you haven't done so since 12 December, then your phone is at risk.
According to Malwarebytes, these particular vulnerabilities are mostly being used in highly targeted attacks, but that's not to say their victim pool won't broaden as time goes on.
WebKit is responsible for powering many iOS applications, as well as the Safari browser, and a hack would allow a cyber criminal to run their own code on victims' devices just by getting them to open a harmful web page.
Apple urging iPhone users to update
Apple has now spoken out about the risks, highlighting the importance of installing the new update as soon as possible to get all the required protections in place on your devices.
It said on its website: "Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on versions of iOS before iOS 26."
As few as 4.6 percent of active iPhones are said to have already updated to iOS 26.2 as of this month, with an estimated 16 percent on any version of iOS 26 which is a startlingly low uptake, considering Apple will only be adding these new and vital protections on iOS 26+.
Apple has emphasised the importance of restarting your device once you've installed the new update, because restarting it will allow it to clear out any malware that's hiding in the device's memory.
Topics: Apple, Technology, iPhone
Emma Rosemurgey