iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and Mac Owners Are at Risk: Dangerous SLAP and FLOP Vulnerabilities Threaten Apple Gadgets

Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology have discovered dangerous SLAP and FLOP vulnerabilities in Apple chips that could put iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and Mac owners at risk.

How do the vulnerabilities work?

According to MacRumors, the attacks could be carried out through malicious web pages that bypass Apple's built-in browser protection mechanisms.

The vulnerabilities affect A- and M-series chips (starting with M2, A15, and later), meaning that the following are at risk:

• MacBook and Mac (2022–2023)
• iPad (2021 and later)
• iPhone (2021 and later)

SLAP attacks could target the Safari browser, while FLOP could threaten both Safari and Chrome. The possibility of hacking through other browsers, such as Firefox, has not yet been studied.

What does this mean for users?

The vulnerabilities allow attackers to remotely access personal data:

• Browser history
• Bank card data
• Emails
• Location information

SLAP was discovered back in May 2024, and FLOP in September 2024, but there are no confirmed cases of hackers using them yet.

Apple is already working on a fix and will release a security update soon.

What should users do?

• Monitor the release of new updates and install them as soon as possible
• Avoid suspicious websites, especially in Safari and Chrome
• Limit the storage of sensitive data in the browser

More detailed information about the mechanism of the vulnerabilities is available on specialized cybersecurity resources.