Yeah, you need to update your Mac again.
It was only last week that Apple alerted customers to a serious security vulnerability that was patched in macOS 11.3. Welp, it’s a new week, and the people who brought you $400 computer wheels just dropped a new macOS update that fixes yet another bug.
According to Apple, macOS 11.3.1, released Monday, corrects two separate issues which each, if exploited, would allow for arbitrary code execution.
This, if you’re not familiar with the phrase, is a bad thing. Essentially, it means hackers could force your computer to run commands of their choosing (which likely wouldn’t be good for you).
Oh yeah, and if that wasn’t enough to convince you, Apple includes yet another reason why you really, actually, should update your Mac now.
“Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited,” the company warns.
Go ahead and do it.
Image: screenshot / apple
In other words, some bad actors out there may be using these exploits on unsuspecting Mac users right now.
On Monday, Apple also released security updates to its week-old iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 — which, combined with macOS 11.3.1, at first glance may suggest a company that’s dropped the ball when it comes to security. After all, those operating systems were only a week old and they already needed fixes? It’s only natural to wonder what’s going on over there.
However, what macOS 11.3.1 means in practice is that Apple moves quickly to fix zero-day exploits actively being used in the wild. This is a good thing — even if, as many users will complain, the updates are an annoying interruption to their workflows.
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So go ahead and download and install the update now (go to About This Mac> Software Update), and feel confident explaining to your boss why you’ll be unreachable for the next 45 min or so knowing that by updating to macOS 11.3.1 you’re doing everyone a favor.