Issues w/ Safari Security Update - Version 17.5 (17618.2.12.111.5, 17618)

I'm running macOS Monterey (12.7.5) and recently ran both a system and safari security update that was available a couple weeks ago. Since then, I've had nothing but issues with my Safari.

1. There are now some websites where certain images aren't appearing. Rather than the image, I see the little blue square with the question mark. Looking at the same websites on other browsers (Chrome, Firefox), the images are appearing correctly. I'm pretty certain this is isolated to an issue with Safari itself and not the website images/content.

2. I generally browse websites in Safari using tabs/tab groups. However, when I do open and view a website in a secondary, standalone window...when I close the window, Safari crashes and I need to re-open it. This happens every single time a new browser window is closed and has only been an issue since the security update.

Anyhow, I'm losing my mind here with the quality (or lack thereof) of this recent security update. I've submitted a bug report to Apple but I just wanted to know if anyone else is experience similar behaviour? Just gauging whether this issue is widespread enough that Apple will actually address it or if I'll likely be stuck with these problems for while??