By Benedict Wee
Cybersecurity researchers Charlie Miller and Collin Mulliner have found a dangerous flaw in the way the iPhone handles text messages that could potentially be used by malicious hackers to take control of Apple's smartphone just by sending it a text containing a single square character.
This cipher will allow whoever sends it the ability to call people, surf websites and turn on the microphone and cameras remotely, basically taking over the iPhone's every function. This also means that hackers will be able to send the square character through a controlled iPhone to other iPhones, spreading the bug.
Miller recommends that you turn off your iPhone immediately should you receive a text such as this to prevent your mobile from being infected.
The researches have also found a bug that could disconnect you from your telco's wireless network on both the iPhone and Android-running mobile phones for 10 seconds. This process can be done repeatedly to keep the mobile off the network.
While they've reported the two vulnerabilities to Apple over a month ago, the iPhone maker has yet to release a patch to fix this potentially disastrous problem. Google however, have. Apparently the iPhone is not just bad for business people, it's bad for everyone! I'm wondering why Apple is being so complacent about their easy-to-hack smartphone, used by millions of people round the world.
Miller and Mulliner have also found a similar text bug that can remote control Windows Mobile phones, though they've yet to inform Microsoft of the vulnerability.
Source:
Forbes.com - How To Hijack 'Every iPhone In The World'
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