Introducing Rapid Security Responses for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS:
Rapid Security Responses are designed to provide crucial security enhancements in between regular software updates.
Rapid Security Responses present a fresh software release concept for iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices. Their purpose is to deliver significant security improvements that may include enhancements to the Safari web browser, the WebKit framework stack, and other critical system libraries. These responses can also serve to promptly address certain security issues, including those that may have been identified as potential threats or reported to exist "in the wild."
These Rapid Security Responses are exclusively available for the latest versions of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, starting with iOS 16.4.1, iPadOS 16.4.1, and macOS 13.3.1.
By default, your device automatically applies Rapid Security Responses and may require a device restart if necessary. To verify your device settings:
For iPhone or iPad: Navigate to Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates and ensure that "Security Responses & System Files" is enabled.
For Mac: Select the Apple menu > System Settings, click on General in the sidebar, then choose Software Update on the right. Click the Show Detail button next to Automatic Updates and confirm that "Install Security Responses and system files" is toggled on.
When a Rapid Security Response is successfully applied, a letter will be displayed after the software version number, such as macOS 13.3.1 (a).
However, if you decide to disable this setting or choose not to apply Rapid Security Responses when they become available, your device will still receive relevant fixes or mitigations in subsequent software updates.
For more detailed information about specific Rapid Security Responses, refer to the Apple Official Website