Cybersecurity Alert! The Importance of the Latest iPhone Update

Don’t sleep on the latest software update from Apple. The IOS 18.3.1 update contains a security patch that fixes a bug disabling USB Restricted Mode on iPhones and iPads.

What does that mean?

USB Restricted Mode is a security feature that prevents data transfer through the Lightning (or USB-C) port when your device is locked for more than one hour. This mode helps protect against hacking tools that try to bypass passcodes or extract data via USB connections. In other words, iPhone and iPads are vulnerable to being unlocked. This iPhone update repairs the issue.

According to Apple Support on February 10, 2025, the company “is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals.”

In the Accessibility section of the latest update, Apple acknowledges “an authorization issue was addressed with improved state management.”

While the vulnerability was already exploited but limited to very specific high-profile individuals, AIM always recommends to our policyholders that keeping devices updated with the latest software will help avoid cybersecurity issues.