Apple Releases iOS 12.5.5 Update for Older iPhones With Fix for Zero-Day Exploit

Thursday September 23, 2021 9:59 am PDT by Juli Clover

Apple today released an iOS 12.5.5 update for older iPhones and iPads that are not able to run the current version of iOS, iOS 15.

iphone6plus
The update can be downloaded over-the-air by going to the Settings app, tapping on "General," and selecting the "Software Update" option.

There's no word yet on what's included in the iOS 12.5.5 update, but according to Apple's release notes, it is a security update that addresses vulnerabilities with CoreGraphics, WebKit, and XNU. Apple says that it has received reports suggesting these exploits were used in the wild, so iOS device users still running iOS 12 should update immediately.

According to Bleeping Computer, at least one of the bugs was likely used to deploy NSO Pegasus spyware on hacked devices.

Devices unable to be updated past iOS 12 include the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPod touch 6, original iPad Air, iPad mini 2, and ‌iPad mini‌ 3.

Update: Apple has also released a new 2021-006 Security Update for machines running macOS Catalina.

Popular Stories

Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Smart Home Hub to Feature iMac G4-Style Design

Wednesday September 30, 2026 4:36 am PDT by Hartley Charlton

Apple's long-rumored smart home hub will have an iMac G4-style design and a host of unique features, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. The smart home hub is said to feature a square 6-inch display, with variants that can be placed on a countertop or mounted on a wall. It features a single FaceTime camera on the front, with microphones and speakers in its connected base. Gurman described the...

• 212 comments

Three New Apple Smart Home Products Coming on October 13

Wednesday September 30, 2026 4:04 am PDT by Hartley Charlton

Apple plans to introduce a series of new smart home products on Tuesday, October 13, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple reportedly plans to debut its long-awaited smart home hub device, a new HomePod mini, and a new Apple TV on the date. The new HomePod mini and Apple TV are set to retain their existing designs, but tout faster chips to support Siri AI. The new HomePod mini will...

• 56 comments

New Apple TV 4K Leaked

Friday September 25, 2026 8:16 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris has uncovered an image file from Apple for an unreleased Apple TV 4K, suggesting that a new model will finally be released soon. The image is specifically for an "Apple TV 4K (4th generation)" model. Apple TV 4K (4th generation) image (on a gradient) The image reveals that the Apple TV will have the same external design as the current model, with all of its...

• 194 comments

Top Rated Comments

Caliber26

66 months ago

Android could never.

Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)

ouimetnick

66 months ago

Still supporting a 2013 iPhone 5S… an EIGHT YEAR OLD DEVICE. Get on that level Google!

Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)

redheeler

66 months ago

It's not meant to be 3 years it's meant to be the previous 3 releases, which should be Big Sur, Catalina and Mojave, but for whatever reason in the latest round of security updates, only Catalina got a security update (plus Big Sur 11.6).

I do wish they'd continue updating 10.13 - plenty of Macs were marooned on High Sierra. Microsoft gives security updates to much older machines through Windows 10!

Apple's strategies with iOS and MacOS are in such contrast to each other. On the Mac side the support cutoffs have become completely arbitrary and really only explainable by planned obsolescence / cost reasoning. On the iPhone side someone actually seems to care about supporting older devices.

iOS and MacOS support spans have almost converged, it seems like pretty soon iPhones will be supported for longer than Macs which cost twice as much or more.

Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)