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Apple Fixed Bug That Exposed Your Photos and Contacts
Fortune ^ | April 5, 2016 | by Don Reisinger

Posted on 04/05/2016 9:03:20 PM PDT by Swordmaker

Well, that was quick.

Earlier on Tuesday, reports surfaced saying that a bug in what appeared to be iOS 9 would have allowed hackers to access an iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus owner’s contacts and photos. But that has issue has since been fixed.

When users now try to use the hack published recently on YouTube, they’ll find that Apple’s

virtual personal assistant Siri now asks them to unlock their device first. Previously, Siri would allow access to a person’s contacts and photos after users exploited a flaw in the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.

As part of the latest fix, when users attempt to retrace the steps that would allow hackers access to their photos and contacts, Siri rebuffs the request. Rather than simply allowing a person to search Twitter

from the lock screen, Siri says he or she will “need to unlock your iPhone first.” The would-be hacker, therefore, would be required to either use Touch ID or input the iPhone owner’s code to unlock the device.

According to those who discovered the bug, a would-be hacker could hold a locked iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus and ask Siri to search Twitter. From there, the user would ask Siri to find email addresses by saying “gmail.com” or “yahoo.com.” Upon tapping on an email address in the results displayed in the lock screen, users could gain access to a person’s contacts and photos. The feature is believed to have only affected iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s users because those devices offer 3D Touch, a feature that gives users additional features when they vary how hard they press down on the display.

While initial reports and claims from the bug’s discoverers said that the issue was an iOS 9 glitch, it turns out it was a Siri problem. On Tuesday morning, after seeing the rash of reports on the issue, Apple issued an update to Siri fixing the problem. Therefore, users who were previously subject to the issue are now safe and do not require a software update to get the fix.

For more about iOS 9.3 Siri glitch which has been fixed, watch:

YouTube Video

Siri is a virtual personal assistant Apple launched in 2011. While the platform is designed to help users perform tasks, search content, and more by “talking” to the virtual assistant, it has been panned in the past for not responding well enough to queries. Siri has also been the brunt of many jokes when the assistant becomes confused by seemingly simple commands.

For its part, Apple has worked to improve Siri and add new features. Since Siri is cloud-based, Apple can make the changes in the background without requiring users to update their software. That is precisely what Apple did on Tuesday.

And to its credit, Apple delivered the fix quite quickly. In fact, even those who seemingly would’ve otherwise not been affected by the issue will receive the same request to unlock the device before being able to search Siri from the lock screen.

Apple declined comment on its fix.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: applepinglist; bugs; siri

1 posted on 04/05/2016 9:03:21 PM PDT by Swordmaker
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To: ~Kim4VRWC's~; 1234; Abundy; Action-America; acoulterfan; AFreeBird; Airwinger; Aliska; altair; ...
In less than three hours after it was posted as a bug, Apple fixed a bug in SIRI that allowed a series of steps using SIRI to get around the lock screen on an iPhone 6S or iPhone 6S Plus to see a user's photos and contacts list in their entirety. Since SIRI's responses are iCloud based, updating SIRI to block the vulnerability did not requiring changing anything on the users' iPhones. The fix just needed to be updated at the iCloud end. Fixed. — PING!


Apple SIRI Vulnerability Fixed In Less
Than 3 Hours After It Was Published!
Ping!

The latest Apple/Mac/iOS Pings can be found by searching Keyword "ApplePingList" on FreeRepublic's Search.

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me

2 posted on 04/05/2016 9:10:25 PM PDT by Swordmaker (This tag line is a Microsoft insult free zone... but if the insults to Mac users continue..)
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To: Swordmaker

It is too late. I now have all the pretty female celebrity nude photos.


3 posted on 04/05/2016 9:29:54 PM PDT by minnesota_bound
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To: minnesota_bound

Do share!


4 posted on 04/05/2016 9:46:55 PM PDT by null and void ("when authority began inspiring contempt, it had stopped being authority" ~ H. Beam Piper)
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To: Swordmaker

Siri, you betrayed me!


5 posted on 04/05/2016 10:00:10 PM PDT by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open (<o> ---)
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To: minnesota_bound
It is too late. I now have all the pretty female celebrity nude photos.

Oh? You had possession of a pretty female celebrity's iPhone on which she had nude photos? Pray tell you reveal her name, and of course, according to FR rules, photos are required or it didn't happen!

6 posted on 04/05/2016 10:08:47 PM PDT by Swordmaker (This tag line is a Microsoft insult free zone... but if the insults to Mac users continue..)
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To: Swordmaker; minnesota_bound

>> It is too late. I now have all the pretty female celebrity nude photos.

> Oh? You had possession of a pretty female celebrity’s iPhone on which she had nude photos? Pray tell you reveal her name, and of course, according to FR rules, photos are required or it didn’t happen!

Name not required. I’m not gonna talk to her anyway. Most of em are dumb as a bag of hammers. Pics are, however, mandatory.


7 posted on 04/05/2016 10:47:19 PM PDT by dayglored ("Listen. Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.")
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To: Swordmaker

I picked up some bug on my iMac that redirected my pings to freerepblic to my home ISP yesterday. My Mac guy send me a link to fix it and he is coming by today to check it...


8 posted on 04/06/2016 9:03:26 AM PDT by tubebender
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To: tubebender
I picked up some bug on my iMac that redirected my pings to freerepblic to my home ISP yesterday. My Mac guy send me a link to fix it and he is coming by today to check it...

That was hitting everyone on FR. It wasn't a bug on your Mac. The sale of Verizon's accounts to Frontier somehow hosed the resolution of the name of FR to the actual address for almost everyone in the country. . . it took almost 24 hours to get it fixed. JR finally got it straightened out about 5:30 Pacific Time yesterday. I got hit by it at 12:30 AM

9 posted on 04/06/2016 3:33:54 PM PDT by Swordmaker (This tag line is a Microsoft insult free zone... but if the insults to Mac users continue..)
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