Ahead of the arrival of macOS Sonoma later this fall, Apple has released macOS Ventura 13.5 to all users with bug fixes and nearly 30 security fixes. According to Apple’s release notes, the update includes small bug fixes and performance optimizations. More importantly for most users are nearly 30 security updates that patch several vulnerabilities spanning Safari, Shortcuts, FindMy, and various system resources.
macOS Ventura 13.5: New features and fixes
The macOS Ventura 13.5 update doesn’t include any known new features. Apple’s release notes merely state the update “provides important security fixes and is recommended for all users.” The update includes several high-risk security patches that could lead to arbitrary code execution, as well as fixes for system apps, including:
Find My
- Impact: An app may be able to read sensitive location information
- Description: A logic issue was addressed with improved restrictions.
- CVE-2023-32416: Wojciech Regula of SecuRing (wojciechregula.blog)
Shortcuts
- Impact: A shortcut may be able to modify sensitive Shortcuts app settings
- Description: An access issue was addressed with improved access restrictions.
- CVE-2023-32442: an anonymous researcher
Additionally, the update patches a flaw with its M1 and M2 chips:
Apple Neural Engine
- Impact: An app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges
- Description: The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.
- CVE-2023-38580: Mohamed GHANNAM (@_simo36)
Apple also released updates to macOS Monterey (12.6.8) and Big Sur (11.7.9) that address many of the same vulnerabilities.
macOS Ventura 13.5: How to install the update
To install the latest update on your Mac, head over to System Settings, then click Software Update, and Download and Install. Then follow the prompts and restart your Mac. It should take approximately 15 minutes.
