Alleged iPhone Bug Could Allow Strangers To Access Your Contacts -- Sort Of

An alleged bug in Apple's iOS 5.0.1 software could allow tech-savvy strangers to bypass your iPhone's security and access your contacts, reported The Verge.

But don't get too freaked out just yet -- the "glitch" is tough to pull off.

The reported issue seems to have been highlighted by Safwan Saba, a friend of the iPhoneIslam team, and, according to iPhoneIslam, works with any iPhone. A video demonstrating how to go about bypassing an iPhone's security settings was posted on the group's YouTube channel on February 19.

While it's possible, unlocking an iPhone and tapping into the contacts without a passcode appears to be quite an involved and arduous process.

For starters, you would need direct access to the iPhone you wished to unlock. The task would also require a small tool, like a paperclip, that would enable you to repeatedly eject and re-insert the phone's SIM card. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, a missed call notification must be on the home screen -- a feat that can easily be accomplished if you happen to have the victim's phone number.

According to MSNBC's Technolog, the glitch is possible because of an iPhone feature that allows you to automatically dial a missed call with the swipe of a finger from a locked home screen. Performing this action just as the phone is recognizing the SIM card and reconnecting to the network will provide direct access to a person's contacts, allowing any smart snoop to make calls, listen to voicemails, or send text or email messages. But, as evidenced by the video, it will probably take many tries -- the swipe must be timed perfectly.

Apple has yet to comment on this latest alleged iOS bug, though it has commented on other bugs in the past. But perhaps the reported glitch will be magically fixed with the upcoming release of iOS 5.1.

Check out the iPhone hack in the following video, and tell us: Do you think this is something to worry about? Or too tricky to be troublesome?

Comments

[whinenot]

05:59 PM on 02/24/2012

What, I thought Apple was genius..perfect. Say it ain't so. What, the iPhone has iSecurity issues. Gee, I only thought the 'evil empire' Microsoft had problems.

[Nathan Rodriguez]

11:20 AM on 02/24/2012

Or instead of a paperclip, they could use the "bump" app and get your contacts.
Dumbest article ever.

[gwinegarden]

10:45 AM on 02/24/2012

I used to have a Blackberry for business. The reason that we used it was for security. Whenever I mentioned this to iPhone users, the usual reply was "who needs it".

[GhiaccioPronto]

08:01 AM on 02/24/2012

Update

the iPhoneIslam team has discovered a bug that could allow an unauthorized user to steal your iphone if you leave it laying around where they can get their hands on it. Apple has yet to comment.

[jtwalk45]

11:15 AM on 02/25/2012

who leaves their phone so strangers can steal it,or no less take data

[RealityMyFriend]

03:15 AM on 02/24/2012

It is funny how they always pick on the most popular device and not write about the less popular that have more security concens then can be listed.

[gwinegarden]

10:46 AM on 02/24/2012

Possibly because many think Apple devices are perfection itself.

[RealityMyFriend]

09:16 PM on 02/24/2012

Not perfect. Nothing is.

[Pectin]

09:01 PM on 02/23/2012

I don't care what the device may be, give a clever person uninterrupted physical access to it, and anything contained therein will be theirs.

[jflorish]

06:40 PM on 02/23/2012

Jeez this stupid, I want these 5 minutes back.

[Sachem515]

06:39 PM on 02/23/2012

The feature that allows you to automatically dial a missed call with the swipe of a finger from a locked home screen needs to have an On/Off switch in settings.

[Pectin]

09:03 PM on 02/23/2012

Why? Maybe whoever tried to call you would like to speak to whoever stole your phone.

[Highball]

06:25 PM on 02/23/2012

As with any computing device, be it a desktop, a laptop, a smartphone, a tablet, what have you, someone having physical access to the machine can eventually hack it. That's just the way it is.

[Brian Hudson]

06:08 PM on 02/23/2012

Wow. This is a news item? Must be a slow news day.