iOS 9.3.1 Security Flaw Detected

[Maura]

MacRumors reports that a security flaw has been discovered in the newly released iOS 9.3.1 that could possibly enable a malicious user to access your photos and contacts on your locked phone without having to use a passcode.

The vulnerability was exposed in a video that was posed on YouTube and first reported on by The Daily Dot. In the video, a user shows how by simply using a Siri search and couple of other basic steps you can access a locked phone. The bug is limited to iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, as it requires use of 3D Touch in order to work.

One very simple way that you can guard against your phone being accessed in this way, at least until Apple provides a fix, is to ensure that you have not given Siri permission to access Twitter account information, or given Siri access to your Contacts or Photos. You can check this by going to Settings> Privacy> Twitter> and then turn off Siri’s access. You can do the same with Photos via the Privacy option. Stopping Siri accessing your contacts is a little different, as you must go to Settings> Touch ID & Passcode and turn off Siri’s access there.

Source: Security Flaw in iOS 9.3.1 Allows Access to iPhone Photos and Contacts

 

[Maura]