A Mac, iPad, and iPhone running macOS 15, iPadOS 18, and iOS 18
Apple has released security updates to its operating systems, including iOS 18.4.1, iPadOS 18.4.1, tvOS 18.4.1, macOS 15.4.1, and visionOS 2.4.1.
The small updates, released on April 16, are fairly common for software vendors to release, including Apple. The smaller change of version number reflects the content of the update, which is less about introducing bigger feature changes and more about bug squashing, performance improvements, and security fixes.
The notes for the updates state that they all provide bug fixes and security updates, with Apple recommending the installation by all users.
The build number for iOS 18.4.1. and iPadOS 18.4.1 is 22E252, macOS 15.4.1 uses 24E263, tvOS 18.4.1 is 22L261, and visionOS 2.4.1 is 22O251.
According to the security content notes, iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1 include a fix for a vulnerability found by Apple and the Google Threat Analysis Group affecting CoreAudio. A maliciously-crafted media file could be used to execute code, and it has also been actively exploited in an “extremely sophisticated attack.”
The second item is about RPAC, with an attacker having arbitrary read and write capabilities being able to bypass Pointer Authentication. Again, Apple is aware of a report that it may have been exploited in an attack.
The issues are listed as CVE-2025-31200 and CVE-2025-31021, respectively.
For the iPhone and iPad, the update can be installed manually through the Settings app then General then Software Update. On the Mac, it’s System Settings, General, then Software Update.Software updates can also be configured to download automatically, saving users from manual refreshes.
