Cybersecurity experts have issued a warning for iPhone owners to immediately install security updates and patches for a critical security vulnerability that threat actors may use to access their devices.
It is referred to as Airborne, it allows hackers to install malware, steal your data, or eavesdrop on your conversations while in the same Wi-Fi environment as your devices, something that could be in public places like airports, cafés, or your office.
Users should ensure that all their Apple gadgets are updated to the latest software, particularly those linked to AirPlay, so as to prevent any possible intrusion attempts by hackers. If it is not required, AirPlay could be switched off because it could potentially serve as a conduit for hackers to take over your devices. Another thing that could be troublesome is that the gadgets users are not using might be presenting another avenue for these hackers.
“There will be many that will take years to patch, or they will never be patched because of how many devices AirPlay is supported in,” said Gal Elbaz, who is the CTO and co-founder of Tel-Aviv-based cybersecurity company Oligo, in an interview with Wireless.
The exact tally was 23 security issues uncovered in Apple’s AirPlay protocol and the corresponding software development kit (SDK) that allows users to cast photographs, music, and videos from one device to another. While Apple has gone ahead to issue security updates in order to patch the vulnerability in their own devices, innumerable third-party products and platforms—including smart TVs, set-top boxes, and automobile infotainment systems—might still remain vulnerable if the manufacturers of these products have not supplied a patch for them.
Google has already started taking actions by implementing a scam detection feature to the Pixel watch. Translated into the real world, consider that even if your iPhone is fully updated, the linked speaker or TV may act as a backdoor, and the bad guys love backdoors.
