New iPhone hack

something daft already!! · 3 Dec 2020 at 10:07

During the coronavirus lockdown, professional hacker Ian Beer, a member of Google’s hacking team Project Zero, developed a way to remotely hijack iPhones — simply by pointing a homebrewed antenna at them.

Beer’s technique requires only about $100 worth of equipment, Motherboard reports, and granted him total control of whatever phones he targeted. This is Beer’s specialty, but the fact remains that his comparatively-simple hack made the iPhone’s security measures seem disturbingly trivial.

https://futurism.com/the-byte/horrifying-hack-iphones-antenna?mc_eid=59122cfa59&mc_cid=300f0c4b63

Deleted member 77746 · 3 Dec 2020 at 10:10

Right but Apple responded and said if you have the latest update you won't be susceptible to this hack. Unless you have an old device that is no longer supported.

Feek · 3 Dec 2020 at 10:33

Yeah, it's not that new and it's been patched since iOS 13.5.

Deleted member 77746 · 3 Dec 2020 at 10:36

It is disturbing though. For someone to find this sort of issue isn't good. It means anyone lower than a 6S will get this issue. Not good!

For something as bad as this I think Apple should be forced to patch up their old phones because of security. This is a big thing if data can be stolen.

Feek · 3 Dec 2020 at 11:10

Bouton Aide said:
This is a big thing if data can be stolen.

I can't read the original article because *adblock* and the only video I could see was a forced restart. What are the actual implications? If I have to leave my phone somewhere within what will be a very short range transmitter for someone to get access then I wouldn't be that bothered.

Deleted member 77746 · 3 Dec 2020 at 11:40

Feek said:
I can't read the original article because *adblock* and the only video I could see was a forced restart. What are the actual implications? If I have to leave my phone somewhere within what will be a very short range transmitter for someone to get access then I wouldn't be that bothered.

I'm not sure, can't read thread either. Trying to find some info about it.

james.miller · 3 Dec 2020 at 11:51

short version: code can be run outside the sandbox to gain full access to data.

uvarvu · 3 Dec 2020 at 12:01

From the horse’s mouth (original blog)

https://googleprojectzero.blogspot.com/2020/12/an-ios-zero-click-radio-proximity.html

visibleman · 3 Dec 2020 at 14:05

Was reading about this earlier over on The Reg (https://www.theregister.com/2020/12/03/apple_wireless_bug/); pretty "cool" and interesting, and ultimately serious, exploit that essentially gains you user data access within WiFi range (although mentions it could be "wormable").

Bouton Aide said:
For something as bad as this I think Apple should be forced to patch up their old phones because of security. This is a big thing if data can be stolen.

Arguably it is a pretty serious issue if you cannot update to iOS 13.5/13.6 but Apple aren't alone (most of tech industry is the same) in dumping support for "old" hardware, so i would be surprised if they back-ported the fix to previous versions.

Feek · 3 Dec 2020 at 14:23

Access gained through Airdrop and brute force? Switch off Airdrop!

Deleted member 77746 · 3 Dec 2020 at 14:27

Feek said:
Access gained through Airdrop and brute force? Switch off Airdrop!

That's one solution.

Open settings on your iPhone.

Choose “General.”

Tap “AirDrop.”

Change the setting from “Everyone” to “Contacts Only” or “Receiving off.”

Feek · 3 Dec 2020 at 14:34

Switching it to Contacts Only won't help - The video showed that he'd created 100 random contacts and then brute forced it. On any device older than iOS 13.5, the only way to stop this is to switch off Airdrop.

Not that I expect that anyone will be compromised by this in the wild, ever.

uvarvu · 3 Dec 2020 at 15:46

Airdrop reminds me of that rude picture sharing thing on public transport (crude I know!)

visibleman · 3 Dec 2020 at 17:33

Feek said:
Not that I expect that anyone will be compromised by this in the wild, ever.

The author does mention he didn't think it was in the wild but did mention that Azimuth may have already known about this vulnerability, or certainly were looking into it, so it's entirely possible that it was being used.
Plus with 1.5 billion active iOS devices, i suspect there's still a fair few <13.5 devices being used, and the exploit now in the open, many bad actors will try their luck.

For privacy and security of users, i do think there needs to be more noise created about vulnerabilities like this (across all manufacturers/devices) especially if mitigating it is as simple as disabling a feature.
Plus it helps disbanded security myths people have of certain products.