iPhone users urged to upgrade to iOS 18.6 now to fix major security flaw

It's nearly that time of year, and like Activision rolls out an annual version of Call of Duty as what's effectively a reskin of the same tried-and-tested model, Tim Cook will soon be taking to the stage to reveal the iPhone 17.

The Apple overlord is bracing for another big year, as alongside the typical iPhone and its Pro and Pro Max variants, we're also hearing a lot of buzz about the mythical iPhone 17 Air that could take the iPhone line into MacBook territory.

It's not just upgraded hardware on the way, with the much-hyped iOS 26 just around the corner. Although the surprise was spoiled ahead of time, iOS 26 was officially revealed at the Worldwide Developers Conference and divided opinions with its Liquid Glass overhaul.

Before we get there, iPhone users are being urged to make sure their phones are running the latest version of iOS 18.6 to avoid a potentially devastating security flaw.

As with any iOS release, there are typical complaints about Apple not adding much, and instead, our phones are hit with serious battery drain.

iPhone's 1OS 18.6 features

Still, you want to ensure you're running the latest version of iPhone software following iOS 18.6's July 29 rollout.

Importantly, iOS 18.6 fixes around two dozen security issues and bugs lurking beneath the surface of our iPhones. In particular, Apple's in-house WebKit internet browser engine might've been compromised...again.

Tracked as CVE-2025-6558 and listed as 'high' in terms of severity, the iOS 18.6 security notes state: "This is a vulnerability in open source code and Apple Software is among the affected projects."

A member of Google's Threat Analysis Group previously posted a July 15 warning that an exploit for the WebKit bug still existed, so make sure you're running iOS 18.6 as soon as possible.

There appear to be no other notable additions to iOS 18.6, but looking at the history of software rollouts, the last one before the next leap is typically focused on security updates and bug fixes.

Over on TikTok, others urged you not to ignore Apple's advice in terms of keeping your iPhone running the latest version.

Describing this 'zero-day' vulnerability that was exploited by hackers before Apple even knew it existed, the video reminds us to immediately go to Settings and check we're running iOS 18.6.

Responding to the reminder, one person said: "Thank God I don't have an iPhone 🙏."

Elsewhere on the platform, there were all the typical complaints of battery lag and other issues. Someone else complained, "Since the previous update, my battery has been heating up abnormally (iPhone 16 Pro)," which might suggest there's already malware on there.

A third person grumbled: "iOS 18.6 has no new features. Just bug fixes and performance improvements. ✌️"

As ever, it seems iPhone users will never be truly satisfied unless they're moaning.