Apple releases iOS 12.5.5 update with important security fixes for older iPhones and iPads

Apple has released the iOS update with the version number 12.5.5 for older iPhones and iPads. The update is the Cupertino-based company's reaction to the discovery of another critical and actively exploited security flaw of the system's XNU kernel that allows the execution of malicious code. It is therefore highly recommended that users of older iDevices install the iOS 12.5.5 update as soon as possible. The affected Apple smartphones are the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus (from US$181 on Amazon).

In the tablet segment, the 2013 iPad Air and the second and third generation iPad mini are affected as well. The 6th generation iPod Touch should also be updated to iOS 12.5.5, since all of these devices have reached the end of their life cycle and are therefore stuck on iOS 12. Even though these are outdated devices, Apple does still fix critical security issues like these.

Thanks to Apple's commendable update policy, users of the aforementioned iPhones and iPad can securely use their devices after the update. With the iOS 12.5.5 update, Apple has additionally fixed two other security flaws related to the Pegasus spyware, which have recently been addressed in the iOS 14.8 update for newer devices. These issues should also be fixed in the most recent release of Apple's mobile operating system, iOS 15.