New bug in iOS 121 allows access to contacts bypassing the lockscreen

The iOS 12.1 update rolling out to Apple devices aims to correct some niggling issues such as softening skin tones on the new iPhone XS and the iPhone XS Max. The new update also brings the very controversial Performance Management toggle to iPhone 8/iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. For those who own the newer iPhones that were launched this year, the most exciting feature to be enabled by iOS 12.1 update would be the eSIM feature, amongst many others. However, the new iOS release isn’t without its problems. A security researcher has discovered a bug that allows access to the full contact list, without having to unlock the iPhone. The bug was found soon after the update was rolled out. Researchers accessed the contacts by using FaceTime’s new group video feature. The bug is exploited by calling up Siri on the lock-screen and asking it to make a FaceTime call. After that, the phone was put into Flight Mode to turn off connections. Then, using the “add” button, the contact list could be accessed in full, including any detail that was stored for each contact. The bug, though a security lapse, isn’t something to lose sleep over. Even if a person is able to gain access to the contact list through this bug, there’s no way to copy that list or email it to an account. Short of using a pen and paper to write everything down, it is unlikely that a person would be able to do much with such access. However, it still does put every iPhone owner’s private data at risk, and given how Apple has been leading the crusade on data privacy for customers, we expect the company to patch the bug soon. Apple’s iOS, unfortunately, has a long-standing history of lock screen bugs, going all the way back to iOS 6. Apple fixes one issue and seems to break another security measure. Hopefully, Apple will figure out a way to fix the lock screen once and for all.

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