December was a busy month for updates as companies together with Apple and Google rushed to get patches out to repair critical flaws of their merchandise earlier than the vacation break.

Enterprise software program giants additionally issued their justifiable share of patches, with Atlassian and SAP squashing a number of important bugs throughout December.

Right here’s what it is advisable to know concerning the essential updates you may need missed in the course of the month.

Apple iOS

In mid-December, Apple launched iOS 17.2, a serious level improve containing options such because the Journal app, in addition to 12 safety patches. Among the many flaws mounted in iOS 17.2 is CVE-2023-42890, a problem within the WebKit browser engine that would permit an attacker to execute code.

One other flaw within the iPhone’s Kernel, tracked as CVE-2023-4291, may see an app get away of its safe sandbox, Apple wrote on its assist web page. In the meantime, two vulnerabilities in ImageIO, CVE-2023-42898 and CVE-2023-42899, may result in code execution.

The iOS 17.2 replace additionally put a mechanism in place to forestall a Bluetooth assault utilizing a penetration testing gadget known as Flipper Zero, in line with exams by ZDNET and 9to5Mac. The annoying denial of service cyber-assault may trigger a flurry of pop ups to look on an iPhone and ultimately lock up the gadget.

Apple additionally launched iOS 16.7.3, Safari 17.2, macOS Sonoma 14.2, macOS Ventura 13.6.3, macOS Monterey 12.7.2, tvOS 17.2 and watchOS 10.2.

Only one week after releasing iOS 17.2, Apple issued iOS 17.2.1 and iOS 16.7.4 for older gadgets, alongside macOS Sonoma 14.2.1. The shock iPhone replace accommodates unspecified bug and safety fixes, whereas the macOS patch fixes a single flaw tracked as CVE-2023-42940.

Google Android

The Google Android December Safety Bulletin was a hefty one, fixing almost 100 safety points. The replace consists of patches for 2 important points within the Framework, probably the most extreme of which may result in distant escalation of privilege with no further privileges wanted. Person interplay is just not wanted for exploitation, Google mentioned.

CVE-2023-40088 is a important flaw within the System that would result in distant code execution, whereas CVE-2023-40078 is an elevation of privilege bug rated as having a excessive impression.

Google has additionally issued an replace for its good gadget WearOS platform, fixing CVE-2023-40094, an elevation of privilege flaw. The Pixel Safety Bulletin has not been posted on the time of writing.

Google Chrome

Google ended a bumper December of updates in model with an emergency repair for its Chrome browser. The eighth zero-day vulnerability impacting Chrome in 2024, CVE-2023-7024 is a heap buffer overflow concern within the open supply WebRTC part. Google is “conscious that an exploit for CVE-2023-7024 exists within the wild,” the browser maker mentioned in an advisory.

It wasn’t the primary repair launched by Google in December. The software program big additionally issued a Chrome patch mid-month to repair 9 safety points. Of the failings reported by exterior researchers, 5 are rated as having a excessive severity, together with CVE-2023-6702, a sort confusion flaw in V8, and 4 use-after-free bugs.