Apple has just released its new Rapid Security Response system for the first time in a regular public release – all previous RSR patches were for iOS/macOS beta testing purposes.
The patch comes as an update for those using iOS or iPadOS 16.4.1 or macOS 13.3.1. There are no release notes for this update, Apple just provides the default description: “This Rapid Security Response provides important security fixes and is recommended for all users.”
Apple describes the new Rapid Security Response system as follows:
Rapid Security Responses is a new type of software release for iPhone, iPad and Mac. They provide important security improvements between software updates, for example improvements to the Safari web browser, the WebKit framework stack, or other critical system libraries. They can also be used to speed up resolution of certain security issues, such as those that may have been exploited or reported to exist “in the wild.”
New Rapid Security Responses are only provided for the latest version of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, starting with iOS 16.4.1, iPadOS 16.4.1, and macOS 13.3.1.
At this time, Apple’s Security Updates page does not yet list the specific fixes of this RSR. We’ll update this story as more details about the update become available. It’s not clear if Apple will move away from security fixes associated with point updates or if these RSR updates are for faster emergency fixes.
To make sure you get these updates, go to Settings > General > Software updates > Automatic updates and make sure “Security Responses and System Files” is enabled. They are reportedly rolled out in a few days, so your device may not receive the update right away. These fixes will eventually be included in the next iOS/iPadOS/macOS release, but it may take a while and leave your device vulnerable in the meantime.
This new system was intended as a way for Apple to quickly update critical system components without updating all of iOS, which can include updates to built-in apps and requires much more testing before release.
