Note: Apple confirmed that no known exploitation of Spectre/Meltdown had occurred on macOS at the time of release, but the patch was proactive.
macOS High Sierra 10.13.3 Build 17D47 is a minor but important maintenance and security update released by Apple Inc. on January 23, 2018. It follows the major foundational updates introduced in macOS 10.13 (High Sierra), specifically the Apple File System (APFS) and HEVC (High-Efficiency Video Coding) support. This build focuses primarily on addressing security vulnerabilities, improving system stability, and resolving user-reported bugs, particularly those related to Messages in iCloud and the Intel Meltdown/Spectre vulnerabilities.
One of the most visible software bugs addressed in this build was an issue where conversations in the Messages app were listed out of chronological order. Mac OS High Sierra 10.13.3 Build 17D47
This update included additional defenses against the Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities affecting Intel processors, following initial patches in 10.13.2.
, released on January 23, 2018, was a significant maintenance update focused on patching critical hardware-level security vulnerabilities and resolving specific functional bugs. Core Release Specifications Version: 10.13.3 Build Number: 17D47 (Standard build) Release Date: January 23, 2018 File Size: Approximately 1.97 GB to 2 GB Previous Version Requirement: Must be running macOS 10.13.2 Major Functional Fixes Note: Apple confirmed that no known exploitation of
As part of the High Sierra lifecycle, this build supports the following hardware: Late 2009 or newer MacBook Pro/Air: Mid/Late 2010 or newer Mac mini: Mid 2010 or newer iMac: Late 2009 or newer Mac Pro: Mid 2010 or newer
By the time Build 17D47 was released, users had been living with APFS for several months. While the transition was largely smooth, early builds of High Sierra were plagued by minor bugs, Wi-Fi connectivity issues, and battery drain complaints. The 10.13.3 update was Apple’s attempt to solidify the operating system, moving it from a "new and slightly unstable" state to a reliable daily driver. It follows the major foundational updates introduced in
: Resolved a widespread bug where conversation threads in the app were listed out of chronological order. SMB Server Stability