This is probably the case with Apple patches for macOS 12 Monterey: After the release of macOS 15 Sequoia, experience shows that the manufacturer will no longer support the three-year-old predecessor. The pre-installed Safari browser will therefore no longer receive any updates under this operating system version, and security gaps will remain open. Mac users who are still using macOS 12 should – if the hardware can handle it – update to macOS 13 or at least switch from Safari to a browser like Chrome or Firefox that continues to receive security updates.
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MacBook Air 2017, MacBook Pro 2015: No more patches
Also, this means that certain Mac models will no longer be provided with security patches as they run a maximum of macOS 12. This includes the once very popular MacBook Pro 2015 and its successor from 2016. The upgrade to macOS 13 is also not possible on the MacBook Air 2015 and 2017 as well as the 12-inch MacBook 2016. This means that the Mac Pro will remain a desktop Mac. The 2013 is now excluded, this also applies to the Mac mini 2014 and iMacs from 2015. Apple sold the Mac Pro 2013 and the MacBook Air 2017 as new devices until 2019.
Apple is expected to provide security patches for macOS 13 for MacBook Pro 2017, MacBook 2017 and iMacs from 2017 to summer 2025. However, these model series will probably no longer receive further updates to the EFI firmware. Apple usually only provides firmware updates with major updates or upgrades.
Newer versions of macOS can be installed on unsupported Macs using the OpenCore Legacy Patcher tool. However, this is only possible if certain security functions of the operating system are turned off and users accept potential bugs and problems.
Only the latest Apple systems are fully patched
There is no explicit promise from Apple to provide security updates for macOS or iOS. Typically, only the last two macOS versions continue to receive security updates (as well as Safari updates). So these are currently macOS 14 Sonoma and macOS 13 Ventura, where you can also update to Safari 18. However, not all known security flaws in older systems have been addressed, as Apple admitted two years ago. The group attributes this to “architectural dependencies and system changes”. All patches will now only be available to users who update their devices to macOS 15 and iOS/iPadOS 18.
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