watchOS 11 Security Update

What watchOS 11 Fixes

watchOS 11, released September 16, 2024, fixes 16 vulnerabilities in 12 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 11 a routine security update: worth installing soon, not an emergency.

It has since been superseded: the newest security release for watchOS 11 is watchOS 11.6, from July 29, 2025, which includes these fixes.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 11

Apple lists watchOS 11 for: Apple Watch Series 6 and later.

How to Install watchOS 11

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 11 there is nothing to do.

Every Fix in watchOS 11

All 16 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.

• Safari

  Maliciously crafted web content may violate iframe sandboxing policy

  A custom URL scheme handling issue was addressed with improved input validation.

  CVE-2024-44155

• 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

• Siri

  An app may be able to access user-sensitive data

  A privacy issue was addressed by moving sensitive data to a more secure location.

  CVE-2024-44170

• WebKit

  A malicious website may exfiltrate data cross-origin

  A cookie management issue was addressed with improved state management.

  CVE-2024-54467

• WebKit

  A malicious website may exfiltrate data cross-origin

  A cross-origin issue existed with "iframe" elements. This was addressed with improved tracking of security origins.

  CVE-2024-44187

• 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

• libxml2

  Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an unexpected process crash

  An integer overflow was addressed through improved input validation.

  CVE-2024-44198

• mDNSResponder

  An app may be able to cause a denial-of-service

  A logic error was addressed with improved error handling.

  CVE-2024-44183

• SceneKit

  Processing a maliciously crafted file may lead to unexpected app termination

  A buffer overflow was addressed with improved size validation.

  CVE-2024-44144

• WebKit

  Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to an unexpected process crash

  The issue was addressed with improved checks.

  CVE-2024-44192

• 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

• Kernel

  An app may gain unauthorized access to Bluetooth

  This issue was addressed through improved state management.

  CVE-2024-44191

• LaunchServices

  A malicious app may be able to modify other apps without having App Management permission

  A logic issue was addressed with improved checks.

  CVE-2024-54560

• WebKit

  Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to universal cross site scripting

  This issue was addressed through improved state management.

  CVE-2024-40857

watchOS 11 Security Release History

watchOS 11 in context: the security releases Apple has published for watchOS 11, 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