Following the Apple security update to macOS 12.5.1 and the very speedy response from Avid to approve it, just a few weeks later, Apple released another security based update with macOS 12.6. In this article we look at whether users running macOS Monterey should update to macOS 12.6.

macOS 12.5.1

On August 17th Apple release macOS Monterey 12.5.1 with 2 security patches, with one in the WebKit and the other in the Kernel. Apple is normally pretty tight lipped about the details on security update, but here is what they said about the fixes in macOS 12.5.1…

In both fixes Apple uses the phrase “Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited”, which means that it is important for all ‌macOS Monterey‌ users to update to the new version of the operating system as soon as possible.

There was a lot of press that everyone should update to macOS 12.5.1 as soon as possible to close the loopholes. Consequently, Avid pulled out all the stops and on August 19th Avid announced that macOS 12.5.1 was approved for Pro Tools 2022.7.

macOS 12.6

Then on September 12th 2022, Apple released macOS 12.6 with 8 more security updates, 3 of which are kernel vulnerabilities and one of those carries the phrase “Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited” which also means that it is important for all ‌macOS Monterey‌ users to update to the new version of the operating system as soon as possible.

However we have been able to find very little information about whether we should update to macOS 12.6. There doesn’t seem to have been the same press coverage, despite the fact that there is “one fix for a problem that has been “actively exploited” in macOS 12.6 as there was in macOS 12.5.1 have set off the coverage to update as soon as possible.

Pro Tools 2022.7 - Avid are yet to make an official statement, however on a thread in the DUC it has been suggested by a user that “the suspicion that 2022.9 or 2022.10 is on its way "soon"....”

We have seen a number of reports of people successfully updating to macOS 12.6, although on the DUC thread there are some caveats, so its up to you as to whether you wait for the next official Pro Tools update, which hopefully will also support macOS 12.6, or as some have done, go ahead and update to macOS 12.6.

Apple Logic Pro - We cannot find any information on this but as this is an Apple application there shouldn’t be any issues with Logic Pro as long as you have the latest version.

PreSonus Studio One - We are unable to find any information on whether Studio one is OK with macOS 12.6, so currently it’s your call until PreSonus make a statement. However, unlike Avid, they didn’t make a statement about 12.5.1.

What About Other Versions Of macOS?

At the same time Apple released macOS Big Sur 11.7 in which we understand the same vulnerabilities fixed in Monterey 12.6 were also fixed for Big Sur. However, Big Sur 11.7 also includes two additional updates, one of which Apple says “may have been actively exploited” so again also means that it is important for all ‌macOS Big Sur users to update to the new version of the operating system as soon as possible.

However macOS Catalina has not been updated with similar fixes and is a strong indication that with the imminent release of macOS Ventura, Apple is no longer providing security fixes for macOS Catalina.

Safari 16

Apple has also released an update for their web browser, Safari which addresses at least four named security vulnerabilities. Three of them are WebKit vulnerabilities that could lead to either arbitrary code execution or UI spoofing. The fourth vulnerability is in Safari Extensions that could allow websites to track users using the technology.

Note that this update will only be offered once you have updated to macOS 11.7 or 12.6.

This is a separate update and unlike previous updates, this update for Safari is not included in the macOS Monterey 12.6 update, so if you choose to update to macOS 12.6 or Big Sur 11.7, you should also consider updating Safari, even if isn’t your preferred browser.