Update your iPhone ASAP: iOS 9.3.5 addresses a major security flaw

Apple has released a new patch for the iPhone, and you should download it immediately. iOS 9.3.5 addresses a major security flaw that allows hackers to access targeted iPhones via spyware, the Associated Press reported.

The suspicious software was first identified in the Middle East by human rights activist Ahmed Mansoor, who reported the issue to Citizen Lab, an "internet watchdog." The spyware was disguised as a seemingly innocent link sent through text messages, but Mansoor suspected the address was shady, so he alerted authorities.

The AP detailed the dangers of the hacking software in its report:

Two reports issued Thursday, one by Lookout, a San Francisco mobile security company, and another by Citizen Lab, based at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs, outlined how the program could completely compromise a device at the tap of a finger. If Mansoor had touched the link, he would have given his hackers free reign to eavesdrop on calls, harvest messages, activate his camera and drain the phone's trove of personal data.

Upon learning of the security flaw, Apple quickly responded with iOS 9.3.5, which protects iPhone users from a potential breach. To update your device, open Settings, tap General, then Software Update and hit "Install."