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Apple urges users to update devices due to serious security vulnerabilities.
The AirPlay feature should be disabled to protect against the AirBorne flaw.
Cybersecurity firm Oligo identified risks allowing hackers to hijack devices.
Apple has urged millions of its users to update their devices after serious security vulnerabilities were reported in iPhones. The users have been urged to switch off the AirPlay feature due to what has been dubbed the “AirBorne” security flaw.
AirPlay is a feature that allows iPhone users to stream audio and video from their phone onto other smart devices such as TVs.
Tel Aviv-based cybersecurity firm Oligo discovered the major security risks associated with the feature that allows hackers to hijack compatible devices on the same Wi-Fi network, according to a report in New York Post.
“Because AirPlay is supported in such a wide variety of devices, there are a lot that will take years to patch or they will never be patched,” Oligo CTO Gal Elbaz explained. “And it’s all because of vulnerabilities in one piece of software that affects everything.”
As many as 23 vulnerabilities were reported, both in Apple’s AirPlay protocol and the AirPlay Software Development Kit (SDK) used by third-party vendors to make devices AirPlay compatible. Once hackers have a way in, they can execute zero-click attacks, which include remotely hacking devices, deploying malware and stealing data without the user ever being on their phone.
To stay safe, users are being told to disable AirPlay receivers in device settings and restrict access to ‘Current User’. Installing security software on Apple devices can also reduce risks from AirPlay’s constant background broadcasting.
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Previous instance
This is not the first instance in recent weeks that Apple has urged its customers to update their devices fearing security breaches. In February, Apple said it had been targeted by “extremely sophisticated” attacks where the USB Restricted Mode might be disabled on a locked device.
“Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals,” the iPhone maker said.
Notably, Apple’s Restricted Mode is a security feature added almost seven years ago in iOS 11.4.1 and included in all later versions of iOS. It prevents locked devices from leaking data to any accessories connected to the USB-C or Lightning port.
