Apple this week released iOS 15.6.1 and macOS Monterey 12.5.1, both with security enhancements. And to bring these security enhancements to even more users, the company today released Safari 15.6.1 for Macs running macOS Big Sur and macOS Catalina.
The update doesn’t come with any new features or major changes. Instead, it fixes an exploit in WebKit (Safari’s web engine) that could lead to arbitrary code execution. This fix was already available for users who updated their Macs to macOS Monterey 12.5.1.
However, users with older Macs that are unable to run the latest version of macOS now have access to the same security fixes in Safari.
Here’s what Apple says about the update on its website:
Apple has attributed the WebKit exploit fix to an anonymous researcher.
Available for: macOS Big Sur and macOS Catalina
Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited.
Safari 16 coming soon to older macOS versions
With macOS Ventura, which is now available for developers and beta users, Apple has announced Safari 16 with multiple new features. The new version of Safari addresses one of the main complaints web developers have about Apple’s web browser, which is the lack of web push notifications. This means that websites and web apps can now send notifications to users even when Safari is closed.
Other new features in Safari 16 include Shared Tab Group, strong password editing, improved CSS, and Passkeys – a new way to authenticate to websites with Touch ID without having to create a traditional password.
Safari 16 will also be available to users of macOS Monterey and macOS Big Sur later this year, once Apple releases macOS Ventura to the public. Developers and invited users can now try out the beta version of Safari 16 for older macOS versions.
As for the Safari 15.6.1 update, it is now available via the Software Update menu within the System Preferences app.
