Apple releases early security updates, citing AI-driven exploit acceleration

According to Security Affairs, Apple has released out-of-band security updates for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Safari, addressing nearly 30 vulnerabilities, including four in WebKit that were discovered using AI tools.

The updates address critical flaws in WebKit, the rendering engine for Safari and other applications on Apple devices. Among the patched vulnerabilities are CVE-2026-43707 (memory corruption), CVE-2026-43716 (unexpected Safari crash), CVE-2026-43745 (out-of-bounds write), and CVE-2026-43715 (use-after-free). Additionally, fixes were issued for kernel-level bugs that could lead to kernel state leaks, system crashes, or memory corruption. Apple stated that none of the patched vulnerabilities showed signs of active exploitation prior to the release.

This accelerated release schedule, deviating from Apple's typical practice of bundling fixes with major software versions, is a direct response to concerns that AI tools can rapidly accelerate the development of exploits from known vulnerabilities. The company aims to compress the time between vulnerability discovery and deployment to mitigate potential risks in an evolving cybersecurity landscape where AI is increasingly used by both defenders and attackers.

Source: Security Affairs