What iOS 17.7 Fixes
iOS 17.7 and iPadOS 17.7, released September 16, 2024, fixes 18 vulnerabilities in 15 parts of the system, according to Apple's security advisory.
Apple does not say that any of them were exploited before the fix. That makes iOS 17.7 a routine security update: worth installing soon, not an emergency.
It has since been superseded: the newest security release for iOS 17 is iOS 17.7.2 and iPadOS 17.7.2, from November 19, 2024, which includes these fixes.
| What an attacker could do | Fixes |
|---|---|
| Private data or protections bypassed | 7 |
| Crash or denial of service | 6 |
| Other | 5 |
Grouped by us from the impact Apple gives for each fix; the impact lines below are Apple's own.
Which Devices Get iOS 17.7
Apple lists iOS 17.7 and iPadOS 17.7 for: iPhone XS and later, iPad Pro 13-inch, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 2nd generation and later, iPad Pro 10.5-inch, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 6th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later.
How to Install iOS 17.7
On the iPhone, open Settings → General → Software Update. If more than one update is offered, the one with the higher version number is the current release; the other is for people who want to stay on the previous major version.
Security fixes are cumulative: any later release for the same version includes these as well, so if you are already past iOS 17.7 there is nothing to do.
Every Fix in iOS 17.7
All 18 CVEs in Apple's advisory, the most serious kinds first. Each entry is the part of the system affected, Apple's description of the impact and the fix, and the CVE ID.
-
Game Center
An app may be able to access user-sensitive data
A file access issue was addressed with improved input validation.
CVE-2024-40850 -
Mail Accounts
An app may be able to access information about a user's contacts
A privacy issue was addressed with improved private data redaction for log entries.
CVE-2024-40791 -
Safari Private Browsing
Private Browsing tabs may be accessed without authentication
This issue was addressed through improved state management.
CVE-2024-44127 -
Shortcuts
A shortcut may output sensitive user data without consent
This issue was addressed with improved redaction of sensitive information.
CVE-2024-44158 -
Siri
An attacker with physical access to a device may be able to read contact numbers from the lock screen
This issue was addressed by restricting options offered on a locked device.
CVE-2024-44179 -
Sync Services
An app may be able to bypass Privacy preferences
This issue was addressed with improved checks.
CVE-2024-44164 -
Transparency
An app may be able to access user-sensitive data
A permissions issue was addressed with additional restrictions.
CVE-2024-44184 -
ARKit
Processing a maliciously crafted file may lead to heap corruption
The issue was addressed with improved checks.
CVE-2024-44126 -
ImageIO
Processing a maliciously crafted file may lead to unexpected app termination
An out-of-bounds read issue was addressed with improved input validation.
CVE-2024-27880 -
ImageIO
Processing an image may lead to a denial-of-service
An out-of-bounds access issue was addressed with improved bounds checking.
CVE-2024-44176 -
IOSurfaceAccelerator
An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination
The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.
CVE-2024-44169 -
mDNSResponder
An app may be able to cause a denial-of-service
A logic error was addressed with improved error handling.
CVE-2024-44183 -
UIKit
An attacker may be able to cause unexpected app termination
The issue was addressed with improved bounds checks.
CVE-2024-27879 -
Accessibility
An attacker with physical access to a locked device may be able to Control Nearby Devices via accessibility features
This issue was addressed through improved state management.
CVE-2024-44171 -
Compression
Unpacking a maliciously crafted archive may allow an attacker to write arbitrary files
A race condition was addressed with improved locking.
CVE-2024-27876 -
Kernel
Network traffic may leak outside a VPN tunnel
A logic issue was addressed with improved checks.
CVE-2024-44165 -
Kernel
An app may gain unauthorized access to Bluetooth
This issue was addressed through improved state management.
CVE-2024-44191 -
Shortcuts
An app may be able to observe data displayed to the user by Shortcuts
A privacy issue was addressed with improved handling of temporary files.
CVE-2024-40844
iOS 17 Security Release History
iOS 17.7 in context: the security releases Apple has published for iOS 17, newest first, with the number of fixes each carried.
| Release | Released | Fixes |
|---|---|---|
| iOS 17.7.2 | November 19, 2024 | 2 |
| iOS 17.7.1 | October 28, 2024 | 23 |
| iOS 17.7 | September 16, 2024 | 18 |
| iOS 17.6 | July 29, 2024 | 40 |
| iOS 17.5 | May 13, 2024 | 49 |
| iOS 17.4.1 | March 21, 2024 | 1 |
| iOS 17.4 | March 5, 2024 | 41 Exploited |
| iOS 17.3 | January 22, 2024 | 20 Exploited |
The Same Fixes Elsewhere
Apple ships most fixes to every platform that shares the code, and to older versions still under support. These releases close at least one of the same CVEs:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does iOS 17.7 fix?
18 security vulnerabilities in 15 parts of the system, from Apple's advisory of September 16, 2024.
Was anything fixed in iOS 17.7 exploited?
Apple does not say so for any of the 18 fixes.
Which devices can install iOS 17.7?
iPhone XS and later, iPad Pro 13-inch, iPad Pro 12.9-inch 2nd generation and later, iPad Pro 10.5-inch, iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation and later, iPad Air 3rd generation and later, iPad 6th generation and later, and iPad mini 5th generation and later.
Is iOS 17.7 the latest security update?
No. iOS 17.7.2 and iPadOS 17.7.2, from November 19, 2024, is newer and includes these fixes.
Source: About the security content of iOS 17.7 and iPadOS 17.7, Apple. Rechecked automatically while Apple is still adding entries.