Apple has begun rolling out three Rapid Security Response security updates for iOS 16.4.1, iPadOS 16.4.1, and macOS 13.3.1. The relevant updates implement important security fixes without having to update the entire operating system.
These Rapid Security Response security updates are intended as a quick patch to resolve security vulnerabilities as quickly as possible, without the need for a general and often lengthy operating system update. Apple does not share any substantive details about the update in question, but says in a blog post that such updates will be released for the latest versions of iOS, iPadOS and macOS in the future. According to MacRumors This is also the first time the company has publicly rolled out such an RSR.
Users of affected operating systems can choose to have the Rapid Security Response updates installed automatically. This function can be enabled in the settings of the relevant hardware. After installation, there is an extra letter after the version name of the corresponding operating system, for example macOS 13.3.1 (a). If the option is not enabled, the security update will be rolled out with the next regular operating system update.
Incidentally, various sources report, including AppleInsider, that there seems to be something wrong with the latest Rapid Security Response security update right now. An error message regarding an apparently broken internet connection can thwart the installation for the time being. According to a developer, there is a tiered rollout in the code of the update processed so that no more than a certain percentage of all users can install the update at fixed times. This may be causing the error message.