Skip to main content

Still have an iPhone 6 or 5s? Update it now to fix a big security vulnerability

Are you still carrying an iPhone 6 or 5s to save money on the latest Apple device, including the upcoming iPhone 14? If so, Apple has released a new version of iOS 12, which addresses a serious security issue you might not have known about until now.

The security issue iOS 12.5.6 sets out to fix enabled malicious websites to craft content, including PDFs and apps designed to execute unchecked code on your phone if you open it on Safari, Chrome, or another web browser. Apple said in the patch notes that it was made aware of the vulnerability after receiving a report that a bad actor has been actively exploiting it. The last update that addressed this issue was iOS 12.5.5, which Apple released in September 2021.

sell your smartphone iphone 5s
Image used with permission by copyright holder

You might want to take a few minutes today and install iOS 12.5.6 if you want to protect yourself and your data from potentially being stolen by hackers if you accidentally stumble onto a website that attempts to run malicious code on your phone. To install the update, go to the Settings app, tap the General tab, and then go to Software update to download it. If your phone gives you a message saying that you don’t have enough space to install the update, go to your storage space and eliminate any unnecessary apps and programs to accommodate it.

Recommended Videos

The iOS 12.5.6 update is also available for the iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air, iPad Mini 2 and 3, and the sixth-generation iPod Touch. Security warnings like this one are usually nothing to worry about, but you can’t be too careful nowadays.

Cristina Alexander
Cristina Alexander is a gaming and mobile writer at Digital Trends. She blends fair coverage of games industry topics that…
Early tests confirm Apple’s new chip significantly boosts iPhone 16e battery life
A press image of the iPhone 16e.

The iPhone 16e will launch officially tomorrow, February 27. Today, the results from the first tests of Apple’s all-new C1 modem for this budget phone have been released, and the news is promising.

Chinese review site Geekerwan conducted various 5G tests on the iPhone 16e’s C1 modem, which is noteworthy because it is Apple’s first modem for the iPhone. The tests revealed that the iPhone 16e’s speeds and reliability matched those of the iPhone 16, which is equipped with a Qualcomm modem. Perhaps even more impressively, Geekerwan found that the C1 modem consumed much less power than its competitor.

Read more
AI-powered Priority Notifications land on iPhones with iOS 18.4 update
Priority Notifications on an iPhone’s Lock Screen

Apple has just released the first beta build of iOS 18.4 update. Even though it is not loaded with new features, it brings a cool new trick called Priority Notifications. Once enabled, the tool will use AI to automatically surface notifications that are deemed important.

”Priority notifications appear at the top of the stack, letting you know what to pay attention to at a glance,” says Apple. The company doesn’t offer any technical detail on how exactly the onboard AI decides which notifications are important and surfaces them.

Read more
Apple iPhone 16e pre-orders have begun, so grab yours now
Side view of the iPhone 16e camera lens

Apple has started taking pre-orders for its latest smartphone, the iPhone 16e, in the U.S. and elsewhere. The rather divisive budget-focused smartphone from Apple is a major evolution over the now-defunct iPhone SE and sits underneath the mainline iPhones with a bunch of similarities and some serious feature-trimmings, as well.

It starts at $599 in the U.S. for the 128GB storage variant, while the 256GB and 512GB variants will have you parting ways with $699 and $899, respectively.

Read more