According to Thurrott.com, Apple released iOS 18.7.2 and iPadOS 18.7.2 yesterday targeting users who haven’t upgraded to the ’26 versions of these operating systems. The updates specifically address security flaws in the App Store, Find My app, and Apple Intelligence that could enable apps to fingerprint users. Apple also fixed multiple Safari and WebKit issues where processing malicious web content might cause unexpected crashes. Another vulnerability allowing web apps to monitor keystrokes without permission has been patched. On November 3, Apple additionally released macOS Sequoia 15.7.2 and macOS Sonoma 14.8.2 with various security fixes. Meanwhile, iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 launched on Monday with new Liquid Glass effects and Apple Intelligence language support.
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Why These Updates Matter
Here’s the thing about these security updates – they’re targeting people who are still running older OS versions. Basically, if you haven’t jumped to the iOS 18.6 or later releases, you’re getting critical patches that prevent some pretty nasty stuff. User fingerprinting is particularly concerning because it means apps could track you across different services without your knowledge. And the keystroke monitoring vulnerability? That’s basically giving web apps permission to watch everything you type without asking. Not great.
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What’s interesting here is how Apple is handling multiple update tracks simultaneously. They’re supporting both the current generation (the .26 versions) and the legacy security track (.18.7.2). This creates a fragmented update landscape where some users get new features while others just get security patches. But honestly, it’s smart – it ensures even people who don’t upgrade immediately still get protected from the worst vulnerabilities. The fact that they released beta versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 just a day later shows they’re not slowing down either.
What You Should Do
Look, if you’re still running iOS 18 or iPadOS 18, you really should install these updates. The security fixes are detailed on Apple’s support page for iOS 18.7.2, iPadOS 18.7.2, and related macOS updates. I think many people ignore these smaller point releases, but the fingerprinting and keystroke monitoring vulnerabilities are serious enough that they warrant immediate attention. It’s one of those updates where the “what could happen” is worse than the five minutes it takes to install.
