Update your iPhone now! Indian govt warns of critical flaw that could hack your device

If you own an iPhone or iPad and haven’t updated it recently, stop everything and check your software. The Indian government has issued a high-risk cybersecurity warning for Apple users, and it’s not just another minor glitch; this one could brick your device or hand your private data straight to hackers.

In a fresh bulletin, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has flagged severe vulnerabilities in older versions of iOS and iPadOS, specifically anything running below iOS 18.3 or iPadOS 17.7.3/18.3, depending on your model.

The Flaw That Could Break Your iPhone

At the heart of the issue is a deep system component called Darwin notifications, an internal messaging system that lets apps and system processes talk to each other. According to CERT-In, any app, even ones without special access, can abuse this mechanism to send unauthorised commands that can crash your phone, lock it up, or even make it completely unusable.

Think of it as someone shouting fake instructions into your phone’s brain, and your device blindly obeys.

Who’s at Risk?

Almost everyone with an iPhone XS or newer, or an iPad made in the last few years, is affected if they haven't updated. Here's the breakdown:

• iPhones on iOS prior to 18.3
• iPads on iPadOS prior to 17.7.3 or 18.3, including:
• iPad Pro (2nd gen and newer)
• iPad (6th gen and up)
• iPad Air (3rd gen and up)
• iPad mini (5th gen and up)

That’s a massive portion of Apple’s user base.

What Could Happen?

If attackers manage to exploit these flaws, they could:

• Crash your phone or tablet entirely
• Steal personal and financial data
• Bypass Apple’s built-in security features
• Make your device completely non-functional

How to Fix the Issue?

Apple has issued a software update patch, and users are strongly urged to update immediately. Here’s what to do:

1. Go to Settings → General → Software Update
2. Install the latest iOS or iPadOS version

Also, don’t download apps from shady sources, and keep an eye out for signs of trouble, like sudden overheating, battery drain, or apps crashing for no reason.