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SMS Hack Could Make iPhones Vulnerable

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the up-against-the-wall-and-spread-'em dept.

mhx writes "A single character sent by text message could allegedly compromise every iPhone released to date. The technique involves sending only one unusual text character or else a series of 'invisible' messages that confuse the phone and open the door to attack. Apple has not released any updates yet, so little can be done, except to power off your iPhone to avoid being hacked."

34 of 254 comments (clear)

  1. "SMS Hack Could Makes iPhones Vulnerable" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    In other news, the same SMS hack can be used to make headlines appear with wrongly used verbs...

  2. App Store by oldspewey · · Score: 5, Funny

    Want to pwn every apple smartphone in the world?

    There's an app for that.

    --
    If libertarians are so opposed to effective government, why don't they all move to Somalia?
  3. Text character? by pushing-robot · · Score: 4, Funny

    The technique involves sending only one unusual text character

    Let me guess: "Q". Damned "Q".

    --
    How can I believe you when you tell me what I don't want to hear?
    1. Re:Text character? by Yvan256 · · Score: 2, Funny

      I guess he got bored of annoying only a handful of starship captains.

    2. Re:Text character? by viking099 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Thanks a lot ass^7'89-NO CARRIER

    3. Re:Text character? by sexconker · · Score: 3, Funny

      Because it's easier for me to test, dammit.
      I make all these fucking routers and cable modems and shit by hand. Maybe if one of you fuckers would help me we wouldn't have this problem.

    4. Re:Text character? by KingPin27 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Very interesting you mention that.... it was common practice for people using a BBS or 2 where I live to "ANSI BOMB" the bbs -- they would put the modem hangup chars into specially crafted ANSI messages. I was nice because the NFO for the file you were downloading looked pretty until your 9600 Baud modem hung up on you before you could download your ARJ files!! :P

      --
      "i lost my dignity on a slippery wiener"
  4. Right-click, wha? by johnthorensen · · Score: 5, Funny

    Apparently Apple was going to require *two* unusual text characters for the iPwn hack, but Steve Jobs insisted that this would be too complicated for their users.

    1. Re:Right-click, wha? by johnthorensen · · Score: 5, Funny

      Well the jerk store called, and they're running out of...[iPhone Restarting]

  5. In other news... by 6Yankee · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...sex offenders start a mass SMS-sending campaign...

    1. Re:In other news... by jmahler · · Score: 4, Funny

      i see what you did there. Awesome. :)

      Mod funny please.

      --


      --endcycle--
    2. Re:In other news... by Yvan256 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Mods: I think he was referring to the parent above him for the "mod funny" comment.

    3. Re:In other news... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Mod parent funny!

    4. Re:In other news... by Yvan256 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Mods are on crack today!

      Mod parent funny!

    5. Re:In other news... by sammyF70 · · Score: 1, Funny

      mod me and my wife funny!

      --
      "DRM is like the Ford Pinto: it's a smooth ride, right up the point at which it explodes and ruins your day."-C.Doctorow
    6. Re:In other news... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      I modded your wife alright.

  6. That's okay. by FlyingSquidStudios · · Score: 5, Funny

    No one ever sends me SMS messages, so I'd be flattered they noticed me if I was hacked. So lonely...

    --
    http://twitter.com/OLDTELEGRAM
  7. The series of invisible characters by blind+biker · · Score: 4, Funny

    It is here:

    --
    "The agriculture ministry is not in charge of Gundam" - Japanese ministry official.
    1. Re:The series of invisible characters by jimthehorsegod · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yeah sure: hunter2

  8. Why worry? by PPH · · Score: 5, Funny

    I, for on am not concrnd. It's simply a mattr of not snding that charactr. Crtainly, a company lik Appl can hav it xcludd from th alphabt. And thn w can just gt on with our livs, njoying our iPhons.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
    1. Re:Why worry? by Midgarn · · Score: 2, Funny

      I, for on am not concrnd. It's simply a mattr of not snding that charactr. Crtainly, a company lik Appl can hav it xcludd from th alphabt. And thn w can just gt on with our livs, njoying our iPhons.

      What happns whn th hackrs dcid to switch to a diffrnt charactr? How will Appl rspond thn?

      I, fr n am nt cncrnd. It's simply a mattr f nt snding that charactr. Crtainly, a cmpany lik Appl can hav it xcludd frm th alphabt. And thn w can just gt n with ur livs, njying ur iPhns.

      What happns whn th hackrs dcid t switch t a diffrnt charactr? Hw will Appl rspnd thn?

      h.

    2. Re:Why worry? by D+Ninja · · Score: 2, Funny

      What happns whn th hackrs dcid to switch to a diffrnt charactr? How will Appl rspond thn?

      ppl will kp rmving chrctrs frm th lphbt. Thy r ppl. Thy cn d whtvr thy wnt.

  9. The Secret string is: by spydum · · Score: 5, Funny

    +++ATH0

  10. Re:Is this why they were distracting us yesterday? by Bemopolis · · Score: 5, Funny

    All this from a company where the CEO's liver is replaceable, but the battery in your phone or laptop is not.

    The battery in the iPhone and laptop are replaceable, just not by the owner. This was also the case for Steve's liver. JOKE FAIL.
    <\memekiller>

    --
    "I guess the moral of the story is, don't paint your airship with rocket fuel." -- Addison Bain
  11. It's a good thing more people don't jailbreak by FlyingBishop · · Score: 1, Funny

    If there were more jail-broken phones, hackers could get into your phone without even doing anything at all. That's how much less secure the iPhone would be if they allowed jail-breaking.

  12. Here's what to do by yellowstone · · Score: 5, Funny

    If you survive the initial peril (the next thirty hours or so), then there are obvious procedures that can give relative safety: Do not accept High Beyond protocol packets. At the very least, route all communications through Middle Beyond sites, with translation down to, and then up from, local trade languages.

    --
    150 Opening BINARY mode data connection for slashdot.sig (129323052 bytes).
  13. Re:Is this why they were distracting us yesterday? by machine321 · · Score: 2, Funny

    The battery in the iPhone and laptop are replaceable, just not by the owner. This was also the case for Steve's liver. JOKE FAIL.

    A sufficiently experienced user can replace his liver; I'll bet Steve Wozniak could do it.

  14. Re:Read about this yesterday by emag · · Score: 3, Funny

    500?! Egads, that's gonna cost a _fortune_ at today's txting rates!

    --
    "The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule." --H.L. Mencken
  15. Re:Read about this yesterday by d3ac0n · · Score: 2, Funny

    unless you have an unlimited plan.

    --
    Official Heretic from the "Church of Global Warming". Proven right thanks to whistle blowers. AGW = Flat Earth Theory
  16. Re:Beer summit by sexconker · · Score: 3, Funny

    BEEP BEEP
    I AM AC
    I AM A ROBOT
    I HAVE A ROBOT VAGINA
    BOOP

    Filter error: Don't use so many caps. It's like YELLING. I AM NOT YELLING I AM A ROBOT THIS IS HOW ROBOTS TALK BOOP

  17. Re:Well... by Kral_Blbec · · Score: 3, Funny

    a, 2, d? WTF? Back in my day we used 1, 2, 3; a, b, c; or I, II, III... Seems a person can just grab any random 3 characters to make an ordered list nowdays. Now get off my lawn.

  18. Re:Binary Encoded Messages by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Your heralding of Android is flawed, the Blackberry OS isn't affected at all! So it's CLEARLY better. HAHA!

  19. Re:Binary Encoded Messages by davester666 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Nope, the 3 Pre users are completely safe. They only text amongst themselves.

    --
    Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
  20. Re:Binary Encoded Messages by FireFury03 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I already get pissed off that there is no way to enter a "Å" character into my P900

    Seems Slashdot is also broken at handling unicode characters - that is supposed to be a "Y" with a "^" accent.

    --
    http://blog.nexusuk.org