Forbes is reporting that two researchers plan to reveal an un-patched iPhone bug that could virally infect phones via SMS.The hijack was discovered by iPhone hacker Charlie Miller. Miller is a well known security researcher, famous for hacking a Macbook within seconds earlier this year at Pwn2Own 2009.
Miller plans to unveil the attack methods during a talk he is holding at tomorrow's Blackhat security conference in Las Vegas. Miller claims he is able to take over the iPhone with a series of malicious SMS messages. "This is serious. The only thing you can do to prevent it is turn off your phone," Miller told Forbes. "Someone could pretty quickly take over every iPhone in the world with this."
The flaw
The flaw exploits an issue with the way the phone handles SMS messages. The attack developed by Miller works by exploiting a missing safeguard in the phones' SMS software that prevents code in the messages' text from overflowing into other parts of the device's memory where it can run as an executable program. Miller and his colleague Collin Mulliner plan to demonstrate how a series of 512 SMS messages can exploit the bug, with only one of those messages actually appearing on the phone, showing a small square. If you receive a text message on your iPhone any time after Thursday afternoon containing only a single square character, Miller advises turning the phone off as soon as possible.
The series of SMS messages will give hackers complete power over any of the smart phone's functions. This includes dialing the phone, visiting Web sites and sending SMS messages.
According to Miller, Apple has been made aware of the issue but no patch has been put in place.
Windows Mobile affected too
Miller also claims he has found a bug in Microsoft's Windows Mobile devices that that allows complete remote control of the device. Miller discovered the bug last Monday and it's currently un-patched by Microsoft. It's not clear whether Miller plans to unveil full details of the Windows Mobile bug tomorrow or limited details until Microsoft has been made aware.
Really must be the battery
Really must be the battery
iPhone can multitask, it runs a number of applications at the same time. What it doesn't do is let you run your own applications in the background. Apple say they don't do this because it uses up lots of batter power, and this has been evidenced by Palm Pre, which has a worse battery life.
Can this be true or is it a delayed April Fools story?!
We don't know if it's serious or not, we just know a mainstream media outlet is quoting same lame hacker and calling him a researcher.
That "lame hacker" was the same guy that hacked the Macbook in seconds earlier this year and was the first to remotely hijack the iPhone back in '07. Regardless of whether he's a researcher or not, it's clear his Apple mojo is strong.
On a more serious note, this could let all hell break loose :/
Now I seen everything
I wonder if you use another SMS app if you are safe?
Now I seen everything
I wonder if you use another SMS app if you are safe?
Another SMS app? *gasp* an app that competes with existing features? apple would never allow this!!!!!!!!!!!
Now I seen everything
I wonder if you use another SMS app if you are safe?
I know, it seems Apple is getting back at Microsoft by copying them for once!
Yeah, this from the company that supposedly takes security seriously. This isn't the first time they've ignored a serious security flaw and denied its existance until it became a serious problem.
Also, i don't think that most carrier allow to send non-standard sms.
The fact we can simply e-mail any character, code or script... then just copy and paste into an SMS.
The fact we can simply e-mail any character, code or script... then just copy and paste into an SMS.
Your right! Except it has nothing to do with that. But kudos to you for randomly picking a feature and deciding its at fault.
I didn't decide it was at fault. I said "I'm guessing". And it wasn't actually random........
You can't send an "unusual text character" without copy and paste.
"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. Because users won't know whose messages to block in advance, there's little iPhone owners can do but to shut off the phone immediately if they suspect they're at risk -- a real problem as the trick could also be used to make an iPhone send more messages of its own."
Source: AppleInsider
Last edited by mattnotley2004 on 01 Aug 2009 - 03:42
If its in airplane mode no data can be sent or received.
Yep, if you don't have a messaging plan included.
Are you serious??? Wow, ulot have it baaaaad
Yup. Here in the US you get charged for receiving text messages. If you have a 500 text message/month every text message you receive and send counts against that.
Depending on the circumstances, if someone were to spam you or you were receiving a copious amount of text messages one month that caused you to go over your allowed limit a phone call to your provider can usually clear things up. I had to call Verizon once when I receiving a bunch of text messages that I did not want and they didn't charge me.
Unlimited plans are the way to go. In fact unlimited should be the only option for text messaging IMO.
Depending on the circumstances, if someone were to spam you or you were receiving a copious amount of text messages one month that caused you to go over your allowed limit a phone call to your provider can usually clear things up. I had to call Verizon once when I receiving a bunch of text messages that I did not want and they didn't charge me.
Unlimited plans are the way to go. In fact unlimited should be the only option for text messaging IMO.
I send/receive about 150 messages a month combined. Tops. The 200 message plan for 5 bucks is perfect. I don't want to pay 20 bucks a month for unlimited texting when I don't need it.
Oh, I completely agree with you. I guess I wasn't suggesting that everyone with a text messaging plan should be spending the $20/month for unlimited. More like, the $5/month should be unlimited.
I don't know how many I send and receive, probably a hundred or so. Not much of an issue to me since I gave AT&T the finger and switched to MetroPCS. I have found the service superior in every way but one, roaming availability - and that doesn't matter to me since I don't roam. I get better service and pay $56 bucks a month, after taxes, for unlimited EVERYTHING.
Paying to receive calls or SMS sounds a really bad idea. It should follow the same rules as landline phones.
Just imagine this, a person who doesn't like you that much posts your phone number on a dating site (with a hot babe picture attached), you are absolutely screwed if you are going to have to pay to receive calls or SMS... How about advertisers, don't they use SMS too?
Guess the US, in this case, could use something like the European Commission to regulate the activity of these telecoms...
Paying to receive calls or SMS sounds a really bad idea. It should follow the same rules as landline phones.
Just imagine this, a person who doesn't like you that much posts your phone number on a dating site (with a hot babe picture attached), you are absolutely screwed if you are going to have to pay to receive calls or SMS... How about advertisers, don't they use SMS too?
Guess the US, in this case, could use something like the European Commission to regulate the activity of these telecoms...
Hum, Optimus Tag!?
Miller also claims he has found a bug in Microsoft's Windows Mobile devices that that allows complete remote control of the device. Miller discovered the bug last Monday and it's currently un-patched by Microsoft. It's not clear whether Miller plans to unveil full details of the Windows Mobile bug tomorrow or limited details until Microsoft has been made aware.
The iPhone vulnerability is just about as bad as a remote exploit problem can get, with the only mitigating factor being that the cell carriers will likely be able to filter it. If they don't, this will likely result in the world's first serious mobile device worm.
Miller also claims he has found a bug in Microsoft's Windows Mobile devices that that allows complete remote control of the device. Miller discovered the bug last Monday and it's currently un-patched by Microsoft. It's not clear whether Miller plans to unveil full details of the Windows Mobile bug tomorrow or limited details until Microsoft has been made aware.
No, Apple has been notified and done nothing, that has not been established in the second case. And it is hardly worthy of note that an MS product has a hole.
Thats not even established in the first case. In the Forbes article he simple says,
"I've given them more time to patch this than I've ever given a company to patch a bug,"
And how long is that? A week? 2 weeks? Apple doesn't spend 10 minutes, fix the problem and post a new update on their website to download, theres more involved than that.
So what's the news on this, it's Thursday today.
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