Apple pushes urgent iOS, iPadOS and macOS security updates to curb AI‑accelerated hacks

Apple released iOS 26.5.2, iPadOS 26.5.2 and macOS Tahoe 26.5.2 as emergency security patches on 29 June 2026. The updates close more than 25 vulnerabilities – roughly half in the WebKit browser engine, plus fixes to the kernel, WebRTC and other core components – that could allow malicious web content to crash devices, corrupt memory or steal clipboard data.

The patches were moved forward from the planned iOS 26.6/ iPadOS 26.6/ macOS 26.6 release because Apple said artificial‑intelligence tools are enabling attackers to discover and weaponise flaws faster. Apple told Reuters no evidence showed the fixed bugs had been actively exploited, but it chose to shorten the window between discovery and protection.

Apple urges all iPhone, iPad and Mac users to install the updates immediately via Settings > General > Software Update. The company’s new strategy is to publish critical security fixes as soon as they are ready rather than waiting for the next major OS version.