Apple's old operating system will be regularly updated to patch security holes. Apple also says that only the latest OS updates are fully protected.
Apple has not previously specified its approach to security updates. This requires enterprising users and researchers to compare security patch notes and CVE numbers to determine what has been patched.
According to a new support document reported by Ars Technica, Apple says that only the latest operating systems have the most comprehensive security patches. In older systems, vulnerabilities are still patched, but not all.
The purpose of this support document is to define the difference between software updates and upgrades, but information about security patches is also included. It briefly mentions that older macOS versions are not as protected as the latest major system versions.
For those who follow the industry, it should come as no surprise. Apple patches serious operating system problems from years ago, but not every patch is universally applied.
For ordinary users, the best way to stay immune to vulnerabilities is to use the latest hardware and update to the latest available software. However, not every user will be able to upgrade their operating system as soon as the latest and greatest releases come out.
Some users will still stick with the old operating system. For example, as devices age, they lose the ability to run the latest software and officially dropped support for new upgrades.
For devices that can run the latest software, users sometimes decide to wait for a stable release to arrive, or for work-related applications to become compatible. Apple tends to release small support updates for older systems, even when new operating systems are out.
For example, Apple recently released the official version of iOS 15.7.1, which includes a series of security fixes and patches. However, the update covers fewer vulnerability checklist entries than iOS 16.1.
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