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I'm really hoping Apple backtracks on its refusal to update the 18.x line for phones that are compatible with 26. At least provide a security update.

by k2enemy 6mo ago

torben-friis 6mo ago
Their design disaster must be hidden in metrics, damn be security.
lynndotpy 6mo ago
Apple used to have a really good security record, it's mind boggling they blew it all up just to force Liquid Glass on users. For those not in the loop, Apple used to provide security patches for supported older iOS versions. They changed a lot of behavior around the release of Liquid Glass (iOS 26, MacOS Tahoe). Starting with iOS 18.7.3, they only release patch versions for the iPhone XS and XR. They've repeated this, through to 18.7.6 now. So much goodwill and trust, obliterated.
- walterbell 6mo ago
  > Starting with iOS 18.7.3, they only release patch versions for the iPhone XS and XR. They've repeated this, through to 18.7.6 now. iPhone XS/XR: the only Usable + Secure iPhone in 2026
- yborg 6mo ago
  It's especially glaring since Apple just released a fix for a Coruna exploit that patched iOS 15.
- titzer 6mo ago
  Those trillions of dollars aren't going to find their way into the pockets of the shareholders if they have to pay some rubes to maintain old stuff!
  - 6510 6mo ago
    I'm always surprised what isn't a national security issue.
  - walterbell 6mo ago
    > to pay some rubes to maintain old stuff Can LLMs backport fixes to stable branches?
    - lynndotpy 6mo ago
      Well, Apple already fixed the code, Apple is just choosing not to release it for most iPhones.
- floralhangnail 6mo ago
  That's interesting, as they released security patches for iOS 15 devices like iPhone 6 as recent as a week ago.
- fortran77 6mo ago
  Apple was always defeated in every pwn2own competition. I'm not sure if their security is any better or worse than anyone else.
pfortuny 6mo ago
Not going to happen (despite my still being on 18.x) because they want to force you to upgrade to 26 for publicity. As simple as that. The new "security upgrade available" will (I bet) be "to 26".
- JumpCrisscross 6mo ago
  > for publicity Or don’t want to maintain two different security architectures.
  - microtonal 6mo ago
    But they did push out iOS 18 patches for iPhone XR/XS, so the backporting work is already done. Seems like they want to force people to 26.
  - pfortuny 6mo ago
    They security-updated iOS 15 a couple of months ago, so that does not seem likely.
- JumpCrisscross 6mo ago
  > for publicity Or don’t want to maintain two different security architectures. Apple has always been visually opinionated.
  - pfortuny 6mo ago
    They security-updated iOS 15 a couple of months ago, so that does not seem likely.
deleted 6mo ago
[deleted]
varispeed 6mo ago
Apple should stop doing security by obscurity in the first place. People have no way finding out whether their phones have been compromised. Lockdown mode is just a cope mechanism for phones likely already compromised and there is no guarantee lockdown mode cannot be bypassed. Apple hardware is inherently insecure and it is bizarre that Apple keeps burying their head in the sand.
- unsupp0rted 6mo ago
  Aren’t their devices the most secure on the mass market? More than non-obscure phones, laptops, desktops… washing machines, robot vacuums, doorbells, you name it
  - varispeed 6mo ago
    Yes, but you can use anti-virus software on other platforms which can detect many threats. Also just because others are not great, doesn't excuse Apple from being very much negligent. I know many people who bought Apple products specifically because of the myth that they are secure. They were in fact mis sold. There is common thinking that no anti virus software = no viruses = secure among non technical crowd.
  - walterbell 6mo ago
    > the most secure Except for withholding iOS 18 security fixes when public exploits are fixed in iOS 26.
    - unsupp0rted 6mo ago
      Even then. I'll take a leaky iOS 18 over pretty much any leaky Android or internet-connected TV or whatever. iPhones are still the least bad option, for regular people who aren't planning to solder anything, select their boot loader on launch, or recompile a kernel.
      - buggeryorkshire 6mo ago
        My Pixel 8 Pro is more secure than your iOS 18 handset Apple don't care about.

I'm really hoping Apple backtracks on its refusal to update the 18.x line for phones that are compatible with 26. At least provide a security update.

by k2enemy 6mo ago

I'm really hoping Apple backtracks on its refusal to update the 18.x line for phones that are compatible with 26. At least provide a security update.

torben-friis 6mo ago

Their design disaster must be hidden in metrics, damn be security.

lynndotpy 6mo ago

Apple used to have a really good security record, it's mind boggling they blew it all up just to force Liquid Glass on users. For those not in the loop, Apple used to provide security patches for supported older iOS versions. They changed a lot of behavior around the release of Liquid Glass (iOS 26, MacOS Tahoe). Starting with iOS 18.7.3, they only release patch versions for the iPhone XS and XR. They've repeated this, through to 18.7.6 now. So much goodwill and trust, obliterated.

walterbell 6mo ago
> Starting with iOS 18.7.3, they only release patch versions for the iPhone XS and XR. They've repeated this, through to 18.7.6 now. iPhone XS/XR: the only Usable + Secure iPhone in 2026
yborg 6mo ago
It's especially glaring since Apple just released a fix for a Coruna exploit that patched iOS 15.
titzer 6mo ago
Those trillions of dollars aren't going to find their way into the pockets of the shareholders if they have to pay some rubes to maintain old stuff!
- 6510 6mo ago
  I'm always surprised what isn't a national security issue.
- walterbell 6mo ago
  > to pay some rubes to maintain old stuff Can LLMs backport fixes to stable branches?
  - lynndotpy 6mo ago
    Well, Apple already fixed the code, Apple is just choosing not to release it for most iPhones.
floralhangnail 6mo ago
That's interesting, as they released security patches for iOS 15 devices like iPhone 6 as recent as a week ago.
fortran77 6mo ago
Apple was always defeated in every pwn2own competition. I'm not sure if their security is any better or worse than anyone else.

pfortuny 6mo ago

Not going to happen (despite my still being on 18.x) because they want to force you to upgrade to 26 for publicity. As simple as that. The new "security upgrade available" will (I bet) be "to 26".

JumpCrisscross 6mo ago
> for publicity Or don’t want to maintain two different security architectures.
- microtonal 6mo ago
  But they did push out iOS 18 patches for iPhone XR/XS, so the backporting work is already done. Seems like they want to force people to 26.
- pfortuny 6mo ago
  They security-updated iOS 15 a couple of months ago, so that does not seem likely.
JumpCrisscross 6mo ago
> for publicity Or don’t want to maintain two different security architectures. Apple has always been visually opinionated.
- pfortuny 6mo ago
  They security-updated iOS 15 a couple of months ago, so that does not seem likely.

deleted 6mo ago

[deleted]

varispeed 6mo ago

Apple should stop doing security by obscurity in the first place. People have no way finding out whether their phones have been compromised. Lockdown mode is just a cope mechanism for phones likely already compromised and there is no guarantee lockdown mode cannot be bypassed. Apple hardware is inherently insecure and it is bizarre that Apple keeps burying their head in the sand.

unsupp0rted 6mo ago
Aren’t their devices the most secure on the mass market? More than non-obscure phones, laptops, desktops… washing machines, robot vacuums, doorbells, you name it
- varispeed 6mo ago
  Yes, but you can use anti-virus software on other platforms which can detect many threats. Also just because others are not great, doesn't excuse Apple from being very much negligent. I know many people who bought Apple products specifically because of the myth that they are secure. They were in fact mis sold. There is common thinking that no anti virus software = no viruses = secure among non technical crowd.
- walterbell 6mo ago
  > the most secure Except for withholding iOS 18 security fixes when public exploits are fixed in iOS 26.
  - unsupp0rted 6mo ago
    Even then. I'll take a leaky iOS 18 over pretty much any leaky Android or internet-connected TV or whatever. iPhones are still the least bad option, for regular people who aren't planning to solder anything, select their boot loader on launch, or recompile a kernel.
    - buggeryorkshire 6mo ago
      My Pixel 8 Pro is more secure than your iOS 18 handset Apple don't care about.