All this buzz has left me confused. 10 "Easy" Questions.
1. Apple's description makes it sound as if the issue is with Monterrey itself, not earlier Mac OSs.
"macOS Monterey 12.5.1
Released August 17, 2022
Kernel
Available for: macOS Monterey"
Yet, most everyone is responding as if ALL Macs need to be updated. See
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201222
Is that true?
2. Is Mojave at risk? Gobs of people are still using it, especially to run 32-bit apps. What are the odds that Apple will patch it and its version of Safari (or WebKit) to make it and its devices secure?
3. Is e-mail at risk? After all, it uses the Internet.
4. Does using Firefox solve the problem for web browsing?
Several have written that non-Safari browsers are not affected. How can we can be sure? Isn't the issue with Web Kit, which other some or many other browsers use, too?
Apple makes a pitch for upgrading to iOS 15.6.1. See below.
iOS 15.6.1 and iPadOS 15.6.1 | iPhone 6s and later, iPad Pro (all models), iPad Air 2 and later, iPad 5th generation and later, iPad mini 4 and later, and iPod touch (7th generation) | 17 Aug 2022 |
Several questions arise.
5. How does the 2016, 1st gen, iPhone SE fit into this? Is it an "iPhone 6s and later" phone? How would a mere mortal know that?
6. How well or poorly does iOS 15.6.1 run on a 2016 iPhone SE?
7. Does the vulnerability affect news apps?
I assume there's an issue using Safari to go to a news site, but what about running the apps themselves? For example,
The New York Times or
The Guardian apps
?
8. Is Apple's Podcast app affected?
9. Whether on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac?
10. Does this mean that iPod Touches 6 and earlier really shouldn't use the Internet?
Apple has left millions in the dark on all this -- it's one thing to not want to reveal details of the security breaches, that's understandable, but it's quite another to sow confusion about which devices, computers, and OSs are vulnerable? And, whether it's a Safari, Internet, or general problem?
Maybe MacRumors could do a follow-up story, built around the questions, concerns, and points raised in this thread and elsewhere, and give us definitive answers!
That'd be a good public service, especially for the non-techies who make up a majority of Apple's users!