New iOS 16.4 Test Confirms Brilliant New iPhone Security Feature

Apple’s iOS 16.4 is nearly here, along with a bunch of brilliant new features. While the iOS 16.4 Beta has so far lacked any major security and privacy features, Apple has just performed a new test of its Rapid Security Response update.

That’s according to MacRumors, which revealed the iPhone maker has just released its third Rapid Security Response update since the feature was announced with iOS 16. The Rapid Security Response pushed to iOS 16.4 Beta users is a small one, indicating the move was a test of Apple’s brilliant new security feature that we last saw in iOS 16.2’s Beta.

When launching iOS 16, Apple confirmed its Rapid Security Response feature, which aims to squash major security flaws without waiting for the next big iOS upgrade. All iPhone users who have upgraded to iOS 16 can access this feature now via Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Update and toggling on Security Responses & System Files. However, it hasn’t been spotted in use widely—at least yet.

Apple is continuing to fix multiple security issues as adversaries increasingly target iPhones. There have been several major iPhone security updates in recent months, such as the iOS 16.3.1 upgrade that included a fix for a vulnerability already being used in real-life attacks.

Apple describes Rapid Security Response: “In a future update to iOS 16, iPadOS 16.1 and macOS 13, Apple will add a mechanism for shipping security fixes to users more frequently. These responses are included in any ensuing minor update (not upgrade) and, on a Mac, updated content appears on the Preboot volume (through symbolic links in /System/Cryptexes/).”

“Rapid Security Responses don’t adhere to the managed software update delay; however, because they apply only to the latest minor operating system version, if that minor operating system update is delayed, the response is also effectively delayed,” Apple writes.

If you are using the iOS 16.4 Beta, iOS Security response 16.4 (a) can be accessed via your Settings App in Software Update. It will take a couple of minutes to download and you’ll then need to restart your iPhone.