iPhone Hacked In Under 60 Seconds Using Malicious Charger

DavidGilbert99 writes "Apple's iOs has been known as a bastion of security for many years, but three researchers have now shown iPhones and iPads can be hacked in just under 60 seconds using nothing more than a charger. OK, so it's not just a charger — but the Mactans charger does delete an official app (say Facebook) replacing it with an official-looking one which is actually malware which could access your contacts, messages, emails, phone calls and even capture your passwords. Apple says it will fix the flaw, but not until the release of iOS 7, the date of which hasn't been confirmed yet. So watch out for chargers left lying around ..." (For less in the way of auto-playing video ads with sound, check out the Mac Observer's take, which concludes "[I]t's nifty that Apple is addressing the issue in iOS 7. We'd also like to see it fixed in iOS 6. Apple has historically seen iPhone users upgrade to the newest version iOS in staggeringly high numbers, but eliminating this problem across the board seems the wiser choice.")

Comments

Re:The Internet of Things...

[Anonymous Coward]

Exactly, except Apple products are usually more crackable than the competition, as proven in almost every one of the Pwn2Own events.

Re:Only locally, not remote

[amicusNYCL]

There have always been local flaws because Apple leaves some local exploits to keep jailbreaking viable.

No, they don't. They patch the exploits that jailbreaks use as soon as they can. If Apple wanted "jailbreaking" to be "viable" then it would be a built-in feature, not a root hack. Of course, a published statement from Apple stating the contrary would go far to further your claim.

Of course, even with said flaws actual exploits exist pretty much only for Android.

Even though I realize that "SuperKendall" is synonymous with "unapologetic Apple fanboy", for some reason I still feel compelled to respond. I guess I'm bored.

Pwn2Own 2010: iPhone 3GS compromised via bypassing code signing; Nexus One not compromised.
Pwn2Own 2011: iPhone 4 compromised via malicious web page; Nexus S not compromised.

"pretty much". "pretty much" only for Android. Is it only for Android, or is it "pretty much" only for Android? Because those two aren't the same thing. Care to throw out any more weasel words to make yourself feel secure in your purchase? You obviously don't, or you wouldn't have posted that.