watchOS 10.5 Security Update

What watchOS 10.5 Fixes

watchOS 10.5, released May 13, 2024, fixes 27 vulnerabilities in 21 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 watchOS 10.5 a routine security update: worth installing soon, not an emergency.

It has since been superseded: the newest security release for watchOS 10 is watchOS 10.6, from July 29, 2024, which includes these fixes.

Grouped by us from the impact Apple gives for each fix; the impact lines below are Apple's own.

Which Devices Get watchOS 10.5

Apple lists watchOS 10.5 for: Apple Watch Series 4 and later.

How to Install watchOS 10.5

Open the Watch app on the paired iPhone, then General → Software Update. The watch needs to be on its charger and within range of the iPhone.

Security fixes are cumulative: any later release for the same version includes these as well, so if you are already past watchOS 10.5 there is nothing to do.

Every Fix in watchOS 10.5

All 27 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.

• AVEVideoEncoder

  An app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges

  The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

  CVE-2024-40771

• IOSurface

  An app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges

  The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

  CVE-2024-27828

• Kernel

  An attacker that has already achieved kernel code execution may be able to bypass kernel memory protections

  The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

  CVE-2024-27840

• Kernel

  An app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges

  An out-of-bounds write issue was addressed with improved input validation.

  CVE-2024-27815

• WebKit

  Processing a file may lead to unexpected app termination or arbitrary code execution

  The issue was addressed with improved checks.

  CVE-2024-27856

• WebKit

  Processing web content may lead to arbitrary code execution

  The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

  CVE-2024-27808

• WebKit

  Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution

  The issue was addressed with improved bounds checks.

  CVE-2024-27851

• WebKit Web Inspector

  Processing web content may lead to arbitrary code execution

  The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

  CVE-2024-27820

• Disk Images

  An app may be able to elevate privileges

  The issue was addressed with improved checks.

  CVE-2024-27832

• Foundation

  An app may be able to elevate privileges

  The issue was addressed with improved checks.

  CVE-2024-27801

• Kernel

  An attacker in a privileged network position may be able to spoof network packets

  A race condition was addressed with improved locking.

  CVE-2024-27823

• libiconv

  An app may be able to elevate privileges

  The issue was addressed with improved checks.

  CVE-2024-27811

• AppleMobileFileIntegrity

  An attacker may be able to access user data

  A logic issue was addressed with improved checks.

  CVE-2024-27816

• Core Data

  An app may be able to access sensitive user data

  An issue was addressed with improved validation of environment variables.

  CVE-2024-27805

• Mail

  An attacker with physical access may be able to leak Mail account credentials

  An authentication issue was addressed with improved state management.

  CVE-2024-23251

• Maps

  An app may be able to read sensitive location information

  A path handling issue was addressed with improved validation.

  CVE-2024-27810

• Phone

  A person with physical access to a device may be able to view contact information from the lock screen

  This issue was addressed through improved state management.

  CVE-2024-27814

• RemoteViewServices

  An attacker may be able to access user data

  A logic issue was addressed with improved checks.

  CVE-2024-27816

• Shortcuts

  A shortcut may output sensitive user data without consent

  A path handling issue was addressed with improved validation.

  CVE-2024-27821

• Spotlight

  An app may be able to access sensitive user data

  This issue was addressed with improved environment sanitization.

  CVE-2024-27806

• Transparency

  An app may be able to access user-sensitive data

  This issue was addressed with a new entitlement.

  CVE-2024-27884

• WebKit

  An attacker with arbitrary read and write capability may be able to bypass Pointer Authentication

  The issue was addressed with improved checks.

  CVE-2024-27834

• WebKit

  A malicious attacker with arbitrary read and write capability may be able to bypass Pointer Authentication

  The issue was addressed with improved checks.

  CVE-2024-27834

• AppleAVD

  An app may be able to cause unexpected system termination

  The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

  CVE-2024-27804

• Messages

  Processing a maliciously crafted message may lead to a denial-of-service

  This issue was addressed by removing the vulnerable code.

  CVE-2024-27800

• Apple Neural Engine

  A local attacker may be able to cause unexpected system shutdown

  The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

  CVE-2024-27826

• Mail

  A maliciously crafted email may be able to initiate FaceTime calls without user authorization

  The issue was addressed with improved checks.

  CVE-2024-23282

• WebKit

  A maliciously crafted webpage may be able to fingerprint the user

  The issue was addressed by adding additional logic.

  CVE-2024-27838

• WebKit Canvas

  A maliciously crafted webpage may be able to fingerprint the user

  This issue was addressed through improved state management.

  CVE-2024-27830

watchOS 10 Security Release History

watchOS 10.5 in context: the security releases Apple has published for watchOS 10, newest first, with the number of fixes each carried.

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