Apple encountered a few security issues during the year 2021. According to a recent report fromAtlasVPNthe number of vulnerabilities discovered and exploited in the past year stands at 380. This is 467% more than in 2020.
380 vulnerabilities in the Apple ecosystem
According to the report, most of the flaws exploit Apple devices’ default browser, Safari. Billions of people around the world could be affected according to experts who have worked on the case. Indeed, most of these vulnerabilities have been exploited by cybercriminals. Apple products are known to be inter-connected and interchangeable, it’s both a strength and a weakness. Analysts believe that this inter-connectivity has played a role in worsening vulnerabilities. Concretely, a fault present on a single product can have consequences on many others. That’s Apple’s whole problem.
A malware developed to attack and control critical industrial structures
Among the most dangerous vulnerabilities for Apple devices is CVE-2021-30858, with a severity score of 8.8. This vulnerability affected iPhones and iPads with iOS version 14.8, as well as Mac devices with macOS Big Sur 11.6. The flaw would have allowed hackers to execute code in a completely arbitrary manner, meaning they could install malware or ransomware on the targeted device, or perform a myriad of other malicious activities, like stealing personal data or connection identifiers for example. In short, a flaw that can have real and significant consequences for the people concerned.
Tech giants are increasingly of interest to hackers
Researchers believe cybercriminals’ growing interest in Apple is due to the ever-increasing popularity of its products. According to Vilius Kardelis, cybersecurity editor at AtlasVPN, “Products from tech giants like Apple and Google are used by billions of people around the world. This leaves billions of users vulnerable to vulnerabilities discovered by cybercriminals.” The researchers point out that to stay away from such threats and keep your devices safe, people should always update their software to the latest version.
During 2021, Apple remains behind Google and Microsoft in number of vulnerabilities. They accumulate around 500 faults each. Web browsers remain the favorite gateway for hackers, and Microsoft Exchange paid the price for cybercriminals in 2021. In their report, the analysts talk about the worst vulnerability of 2021: “ApacheLog4j”, a flaw that allows cybercriminals to gain complete control over entire servers and exploit the system without any limits. Such a vulnerability can cause millions of victims.