Upgrading to iOS 9, the new mobile operating system for iPhones and iPads, will give you more than some new emojis and an improved Siri on your iPhone.
The update will also fix a big security hole that leaves your iPhone wide open to wireless attacks.
Australian security researcher Mark Dowd revealed to Forbes on Wednesday that iOS 9 includes a fix to a bug that he originally reported to Apple about a month ago.
Basically, the attack allows hackers to install malicious malware on someone’s device if their Airdrop function,which is a bluetooth-enabled function that allows people to wirelessly share files, is turned on.
Normally, iPhone users must choose to accept an Airdrop file, but this particular attack makes it so the malware can be installed even without the file being manually accepted.
The attack is possible because of two existing security holes in iOS. There is a bug in Apple’s Airdrop feature and there is a vulnerability that exists in the iOS function that allows corporations to install their custom apps on iPhones, according to the Forbes report.
To protect your device, you should turn off your Airdrop feature until you have updated your iPhone’s software.
The vulnerability also affects Macbook owners, so be sure to make sure your OSX software is up to date as well.
But Dowd told Wired that the fix Apple is rolling out Wednesday will only limit access to the Airdrop feature, not completely fix the problem. He also said Apple has asked him to not reveal full details about the exploit until a more permanent fix is in place.
Tech Insider has reached out to Apple for comment on Dowd’s findings and will update the story when they respond.
You can learn more about Dowd's findings in the video below.
