[NFBCS] Apple Urging Immediate update to Both iOS and iPadOS 14.4 for iPhones (6+) and iPads

[Nathaniel Schmidt]

Looks like there is some disagreement over the level of seriousness concerning the issue. Message included below FYI.

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Aaron Howell <aaron at kitten.net.au>
> Date: 29 January 2021 at 2:41:39 pm AEDT
> To: Nathaniel Schmidt <schmidty2244 at gmail.com>
> Cc: Graeme Innes <graeme.innes2 at gmail.com>, vip-l <vip-l at freelists.org>
> Subject: Re: [vip-l] Re: Apple Urging Immediate update to Both iOS and iPadOS 14.4 for iPhones (6+) and iPads
> 
> Hi,
> These are remotely exploitable, and serious.
> If you don't have an absolute dependency on using a Braille display, and you are already on iOS 14.x (those who are lucky enough to have not upgraded from iOS 13 can stay where they are), you should definitely upgrade immediately.
> Regards
> Aaron
>> On Fri, Jan 29, 2021 at 02:36:44PM +1100, Nathaniel Schmidt wrote:
>>   Just got an email from a member of the NFB computer science mailing
>>   list who believes that the updates might be mainly to prevent people
>>   from jail breaking their phones. If this is the only issue then it
>>   probably won’t affect most people.  But the email I got from Norton
>>   life/Security seems to hint that there could be risks of identity theft
>>   or something similar.  Whatever the risks are, are maliciously
>>   orientated.
>> 
>>   Nathaniel
>> 
>>   ========================================
>> 
>>   Nathaniel Schmidt
>> 
>>   Undergraduate student
>> 
>>   Bachelor of Computer Science (S306)
>> 
>>   School of Information Technology
>> 
>>   Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment
>> 
>>   Deakin University, Melbourne (Burwood) campus
>> 
>>   https://sync.deakin.edu.au/profiles/student/njschmidt/
>> 
>>   E:
>> 
>>   njschmidt at deakin.edu.au
>> 
>>   LinkedIn:
>> 
>>   https://www.linkedin.com/in/njsch/
>> 
>>   GitHub:
>> 
>>   https://github.com/njsch/
>> 
>>   Skype: nathaniel_schmidt1994
>> 
>>   about.me/njschmidt/
>> 
>>     On 29 Jan 2021, at 2:23 pm, Graeme Innes <graeme.innes2 at gmail.com>
>>     wrote:
>> 
>>   
>> 
>>     Thanks for this Nathaniel.
>> 
>>   Advice from Vision Australia and AppleVis is not to do this update
>>   because it messes up braille displays. So hard to know what is best.
>> 
>>   Cheers
>> 
>>   Graeme Innes AM
>>   0412 369 963 graeme at graemeinnes.com
>>   Buy my book Finding A Way at
>>   graemeinnes.com
>> 
>>     On 29 Jan 2021, at 14:01, Nathaniel Schmidt <schmidty2244 at gmail.com>
>>     wrote:
>> 
>>   
>> 
>>   Hi, sorry if this has already been posted and I missed it due to the
>>   issues a lot of people seem to be having with this list.  I just
>>   received this message from one of my antivirus software providers and
>>   they don’t always make a habit of sending emails like this, so I guess
>>   it’s pretty important.  If you want more info then go to:
>> 
>>   [1]https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212146
>> 
>> 
>>   Regards,
>> 
>> 
>>   Nathaniel
>> 
>> 
>>   ----------------------------------------
>> 
>>               Security Alert
>> 
>> 
>>               Update to iOS 14.4 immediately to address critical
>>   vulnerabilities
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>               What is happening?
>> 
>>   Apple released iOS 14.4 for iPhones and iPadOS 14.4 for iPads to
>>   address three critical vulnerabilities in its mobile operating systems
>>   that may already be actively targeted by hackers. The vulnerabilities
>>   target the kernel, the core of iOS, and WebKit, the web browser engine
>>   behind Safari.
>> 
>> 
>>               You can read about the specifics of the vulnerabilities on
>>   Apple's Support site.
>> 
>> 
>>   What should I do about it?
>> 
>>   If you have any of the following iOS or iPadOS devices:
>> 
>>   •           iPhone 6s and later
>> 
>>   •           iPad Air 2 and later
>> 
>>   •           iPad Mini 4 and later
>> 
>>   •           iPod Touch (7th generation)
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>               You should update your operating system to iOS 14.4 or
>>   iPadOS 14.4 immediately by following Apple’s instructions for iPhones
>>   and iPads.
>> 
>> 
>>   ========================================
>> 
>>   Nathaniel Schmidt
>> 
>>   Undergraduate student
>> 
>>   Bachelor of Computer Science (S306)
>> 
>>   School of Information Technology
>> 
>>   Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment
>> 
>>   Deakin University, Melbourne (Burwood) campus
>> 
>>   [2]https://sync.deakin.edu.au/profiles/student/njschmidt/
>> 
>> 
>>   E: [3]njschmidt at deakin.edu.au
>> 
>>   LinkedIn: [4]https://www.linkedin.com/in/njsch/
>> 
>>   GitHub: [5]https://github.com/njsch/
>> 
>>   Skype: nathaniel_schmidt1994
>> 
>>   [6]about.me/njschmidt/
>> 
>> References
>> 
>>   1. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212146
>>   2. https://sync.deakin.edu.au/profiles/student/njschmidt/
>>   3. mailto:njschmidt at deakin.edu.au
>>   4. https://www.linkedin.com/in/njsch/
>>   5. https://github.com/njsch/
>>   6. https://about.me/njschmidt/