Apple on Monday released the iPadOS 17.7.8 update for the iPad. It arrives as a follow up to the iPadOS 17.7.7 firmware which was introduced a few days ago but was soon pulled due to various reported issues, including being unable to login to the iPad with Touch ID authentication. As per the Cupertino-based tech giant, its latest update carries fixes for several security flaws reported in previous versions which may result in unexpected system termination, disclosure of memory contents or user information, and denial-of-service.
iPadOS 17.7.8 Update: What’s New
According to Apple, the iPadOS 17.7.8 update is rolled out with the build number 21H440. It is compatible with three iPad models — iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2017), iPad Pro 10.5-inch, and iPad (2018). The update replaces iOS 17.7.7 firmware which was released last week but reportedly caused some apps to revert to their initial initialisation screens and prevented users from logging in via Touch ID biometric authentication.
The release notes state that it carries a fix for a security flaw in AirDrop which may have caused an app to read arbitrary file metadata. It was patched by adding additional restrictions in permissions. The company has also fixed a double free issue in the Audio component by improving the checks which caused unexpected system termination.
The iPhone maker says a flaw in iCloud Document Sharing was also discovered which may have resulted in an attacker being able to turn on sharing of an iCloud folder without authentication. It was addressed with additional entitlement checks. Meanwhile, an attacker with physical access to the device could have been able to access Notes directly from the lock screen, a flaw which was rectified by improving the authentication.
Several issues were also reported in the Kernel which caused an app to leak sensitive kernel state, result in unexpected system termination or corrupt kernel memory, or cause an unexpected app termination. As per Apple, it removed the vulnerable code, improved the memory handling, and improved the memory management to address the issues.
Other issues were also reported in Mail Addressing, Parental Controls, Security, StoreKit, Weather, and WebKit. These have now been patched with the latest iPadOS 17.7.8 update for the iPad.