Apple Releases iOS 12.5.5 Update for Older iPhones With Fix for Zero-Day Exploit - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Releases iOS 12.5.5 Update for Older iPhones With Fix for Zero-Day Exploit

Apple today released an iOS 12.5.5 update for older iPhones and iPads that are not able to run the current version of iOS, iOS 15.

iphone6plus
The update can be downloaded over-the-air by going to the Settings app, tapping on "General," and selecting the "Software Update" option.

There's no word yet on what's included in the iOS 12.5.5 update, but according to Apple's release notes, it is a security update that addresses vulnerabilities with CoreGraphics, WebKit, and XNU. Apple says that it has received reports suggesting these exploits were used in the wild, so iOS device users still running iOS 12 should update immediately.

According to Bleeping Computer, at least one of the bugs was likely used to deploy NSO Pegasus spyware on hacked devices.

Devices unable to be updated past iOS 12 include the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPod touch 6, original iPad Air, iPad mini 2, and ‌iPad mini‌ 3.

Update: Apple has also released a new 2021-006 Security Update for machines running macOS Catalina.

Popular Stories

iPhone Handoff iOS 27 Feature

T-Mobile to Charge $5 a Month for iOS 27 iPhone Handoff

Thursday September 10, 2026 3:58 pm PDT by
T-Mobile will charge customers $5 per month to use iPhone Handoff, an e-SIM feature that allows the same phone number to be used on two separate iPhones. iPhone Handoff requires carrier support, and at launch, only T-Mobile users in the U.S. and Deutsche Telekom users in Germany will be able to use it. T-Mobile says customers can use their number across two compatible iPhone models and...
iphone duo

IMAX Reacts to iPhone Duo's 1:1.4 Aspect Ratio Displays

Friday September 11, 2026 4:42 am PDT by
Production theater company IMAX has responded in a mixed way to Apple's embrace of a 1:1.4 aspect ratio on the iPhone Duo's inner and outer displays. The boxier ratio happens to be very close to the classic "full-frame" IMAX 1.43:1 aspect ratio, which comes from the geometry of the company's original 15-perforation/70mm film system. In response to an X post from someone wondering if we'll see...
iOS 27 Feature Dark

Apple Announces iOS 27 Release Date

Wednesday September 9, 2026 10:46 am PDT by
At its event today unveiling the iPhone 18 Pro, AirPods 5, Apple Watch Series 12, and more, Apple announced that iOS 27 will be released later this month. iOS 27 has already been available as a developer beta since June and as a public beta since July, and Apple today said that the update will be released for all users with a compatible iPhone model on Monday, September 14. iOS 27 is...

Top Rated Comments

Caliber26 Avatar
65 months ago
Android could never.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ouimetnick Avatar
65 months ago
Still supporting a 2013 iPhone 5S… an EIGHT YEAR OLD DEVICE. Get on that level Google!
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
redheeler Avatar
65 months ago

It's not meant to be 3 years it's meant to be the previous 3 releases, which should be Big Sur, Catalina and Mojave, but for whatever reason in the latest round of security updates, only Catalina got a security update (plus Big Sur 11.6).

I do wish they'd continue updating 10.13 - plenty of Macs were marooned on High Sierra. Microsoft gives security updates to much older machines through Windows 10!
Apple's strategies with iOS and MacOS are in such contrast to each other. On the Mac side the support cutoffs have become completely arbitrary and really only explainable by planned obsolescence / cost reasoning. On the iPhone side someone actually seems to care about supporting older devices.

iOS and MacOS support spans have almost converged, it seems like pretty soon iPhones will be supported for longer than Macs which cost twice as much or more.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
I7guy Avatar
65 months ago
Nice going Apple! My backup 5s appreciates it.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
one more Avatar
65 months ago
Well done, can be useful for my vintage iPad Air 1! 👍
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
65 months ago
But, that's an image of a 6S which runs iOS15 - which is a modern day miracle in itself.

Edit: At least MR noticed it after I pointed it out eh?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)