Apple May Start Delivering Security Patches Separately From Other OS Updates

Apple may be changing the way it delivers security patches to
its devices running iOS and iPadOS mobile operating systems.

According to code spotted in iOS 14.5, the iPhone maker is
reportedly working on a method for delivering security fixes
independently of other OS updates.

The changes were first reported by the 9to5Mac^[1]
website.

While Google’s Android has had monthly security patches rolled
out that are completely divorced from the OS-related updates, iOS
has no option to install a security update without upgrading to the
latest version of the OS.

But with this new setting called “Install Security Updates”
added to the software update menu, it’s expected that Apple will
let users choose between either installing the entire iOS update or
just the security updates, in a manner that echoes macOS.

On Macs running older versions of the operating system such as
macOS Mojave, Apple has offered standalone update packs, allowing
users to get security patches and bug fixes while holding off
before installing the latest macOS version available.

Given that iOS 14.5 is still in beta, it’s still unclear how
this feature will be implemented, but based on code references, it
appears that users who have previously downloaded the security
update may be prompted to delete it before installing another iOS
update.

By separating security updates from feature-centric updates, the
development could also pave the way for issuing out-of-band
emergency fixes for devices not running the latest versions of iOS
and iPadOS.

iOS 14.5 is already shaping up to be quite a big privacy and
security-focused update, what with the company planning^[2]
to redirect all fraudulent website checks through its own proxy
servers as a workaround to preserve user privacy and prevent
leaking IP addresses to Google.

In addition, iOS 14.5 will also require apps to ask for users’
permission before tracking them across other apps and websites
using the device’s advertising identifier as part of a new
framework dubbed App Tracking Transparency^[3].

iOS 14.5 is currently in beta and is expected to be released
later this spring.