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The Maliciously-Crafted Edition Thursday, April 17, 2025

Apple Says Zero-day Bugs Exploited Against 'Specific Targeted Individuals' Using iOS, by Zack Whittaker, TechCrunch

Apple said that one of the bugs affects Apple’s Core Audio, the system-level component that Apple uses across its various products to allow developers to interact with device audio. Apple said the bug could be exploited by processing an audio stream in a maliciously crafted media file, which can allow the execution of malicious code on an affected Apple device.

The other bug, which Apple took sole credit for discovering, allows an attacker to bypass pointer authentication, a security feature that Apple uses in its software to make it more difficult for attackers to corrupt or otherwise inject malicious code into a device’s memory.

Apple Releases iOS 18.4.1 With Bug Fixes, by Juli Clover, MacRumors

There have been complaints about issues with CarPlay and deleted apps being restored, and iOS 18.4.1 includes several bug fixes. According to Apple's release notes, the update includes bug fixes and security updates. It addresses an issue that could cause wireless CarPlay not to work in select vehicles.

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.4.1 With Bug Fixes, by Juli Clover, MacRumors

According to Apple's release notes, macOS Sequoia 15.4.1 includes important bug fixes and security updates, and is recommended for all users.

Apple Releases visionOS 2.4.1, by Juli Clover, MacRumors

According to Apple's release notes, visionOS 2.4.1 includes bug fixes and security updates, and the software is recommended for all users.

On Security

Five iPhone Security Features You Should Be Using, by Juli Clover, MacRumors

Apple has quite a few security features that it's added to iPhones, iPads, and Macs over the years. Now more than ever, it's important to make sure you're taking advantage of the built-in security tools that are available to keep yourself and your data safe, so we've rounded up a list of the most important options.

Stuff

10 Years Of Apple Watch Has Changed All Of Us – And Mostly For The Better, by Lance Ulanoff, TechRadar

The Apple Watch is all-purpose, and that, I think, is what attracted me and so many others. The style and fun watch faces, like my favorite, the Snoopy watch Face, are bonuses.

Apple Launches 2025 Earth Day Promotion With Discounted Accessories, by Joe Rossignol, MacRumors

Apple today launched an Earth Day promotion that offers customers 10% off eligible Apple accessories when they recycle eligible devices at participating Apple Stores. The offer is available from today through May 16 in many countries, including the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, China, Japan, and others.

Apple's New Mac Ads Highlight Battery Life And Anti-Glare Nano-Texture Display, by Juli Clover, MacRumors

Apple today shared new MacBook Pro ads, promoting features like the nano-texture display option and the long battery life.

Apple iPad Air M3 Review: The Premium Tablet To Beat, by Samuel Gibbs, The Guardian

It is a highly capable machine with laptop-level power, long battery life, a quality screen and plenty of accessories to turn it into a drawing tablet, computer replacement or many other tools.

'Deco' Is A Fun New App That Lets You Create Custom Wallpapers To Your Heart's Content, by Michael Burkhardt, 9to5Mac

Once you have your background, you can add your own stickers, emojis, genmojis, and text to your wallpaper. You can design your wallpaper to your hearts content, and even make fun little multi-sticker creations.

Notes

Apple Surpasses 60 Percent Reduction In Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions, by Apple

Apple today announced that the company has surpassed a 60 percent reduction in its global greenhouse gas emissions compared to 2015 levels, as part of its Apple 2030 goal to become carbon neutral across its entire footprint in the next five years. The company achieved several other major environmental milestones, including the use of 99 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets and 99 percent recycled cobalt in all Apple-designed batteries.1 Apple shared this and other progress in its annual Environmental Progress Report, published today.

Apple Abruptly Changes Product Marketing Materials Amid Apple Intelligence Controversy, by Hartley Charlton, MacRumors

The global marketing campaign for the ‌iPhone 16‌ and iPhone 16 Pro centered around the tagline "Hello, ‌Apple Intelligence‌." The company now seems to have universally changed this to "Built for ‌Apple Intelligence‌," often in a smaller font. The alteration seems to be a subtle acknowledgment that ‌Apple Intelligence‌ isn't ready, moving emphasis from ‌Apple Intelligence‌ in the present to support in the future.

Bottom of the Page

It's time to update all the Apple devices, again. And based on Apple's release notes, one might want to update to this latest version as soon as possible.

I do wish we have more controls over when all my Apple devices will update themselves. For me, my preference will be to update as soon as possible on a Friday night or early Saturday morning, after I've gone to bed. Or if the updates were released on Friday, then update on the following Saturday night or early Sunday morning.

WHy? Because if any of the updates mess up my Apple devices, I will want to deal with the clean-up on a weekend. If I wake up with a messed-up device on a workday, I will be grumpy the entire day.

And I don't want to update any of my devices within the first twenty-four hours of release. If the update is buggy, I'd rather other people have the fun experience of discovering the bugs, and that Apple has twenty-four hours to decide to remove the update and not touch my devices.

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Thanks for reading.