Bug in iPhone, iPad may have opened door to hackers

An Apple spokesman acknowledged that a vulnerability exists in Apple’s software for email on iPhones and iPads, known as the Mail app, and that the company had developed a fix, which will be rolled out in a forthcoming update on millions of devices it has sold globally.

Jillian Kitchener has more.

Apple is planning to fix a glitch that a security firm said may have left more than half a billion iPhones vulnerable to hackers.

CEO of U.S. security company ZecOps’ - Zuk Avraham - said he found evidence that the bug was exploited in at least six cybersecurity break-ins as far back as January 2018.

Apple acknowledged a vulnerability in its Mail app for iPhones and iPads… and said it will be rolling out a fix for millions of devices.

But Apple declined to comment on Avraham’s research that suggests the flaw could be triggered from afar... and that it had already been exploited by hackers against high-profile users and a Fortune 500 North American technology company.

Avraham said a blank email message forced a crash and reset of the Mail app - which allegedly opened the door for hackers to steal data, such as photos and contact details… and possibly confidential messages.

Avraham, a former Israeli Defense Force security researcher, said he suspected that the hacking technique was part of a chain of malicious programs, which could have given an attacker full remote access.

Apple declined to comment on that prospect.