Apple has issued an urgent warning to everyone who uses Safari, so here’s how to stay safe

If you’ve been ignoring that software update notification because you aren’t a fan of the new iOS 26 look, you might want to think again. Apple has just issued a massive security warning, and it’s not just for people with something to hide, it affects basically everyone who uses Safari.

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What’s actually going on?

Apple has admitted that hackers are using a “sophisticated” attack to target iPhones, and any device running Safari. The problem lies in something called WebKit.

Think of WebKit as the engine under the hood of your iPhone’s internet. It’s the tech that powers Safari, but it also runs the web-browsing parts of almost every other app on your phone (like when you click a link inside Instagram or TikTok).

Because the “engine” is broken, hackers can potentially take over your phone just by getting you to look at a certain website. You don’t even have to download anything, just landing on the wrong page could be enough for them to run their own code on your device.

Right now, an estimated 50 per cent of people haven’t updated their devices to the latest software yet. This has become such a big deal that even the US government has stepped in to tell people to get it done.

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Here’s how to stay safe

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If you have an iPhone 11 or newer, you need to be on iOS 26.2 to be fully protected. The same goes with laptops and other devices: You need to be on the latest version. Apple has essentially stopped sending these specific security fixes to older software, so staying on iOS 18 isn’t an option anymore if you want to be safe.

1. Update immediately

• Go to Settings > General > Software Update.

• If you see iOS 26.2, hit “Download and Install”.

• Pro tip: Back up your photos to iCloud first just in case.

2. Even after you update, Apple and security experts say you should restart your phone. Restarting clears out the phone’s temporary memory, which can “flush out” any nasty malware that might be hiding there waiting for you to look away.

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