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Root vulnerability found in iPhone OS, exploitable via SMS

tech.yahoo.com

11–20 of 31 posts

Re: Root vulnerability found in iPhone OS, exploitable via SMS

#11
post #7

This is not a big problem, because the fix can be forsed through its update system, like microsoft doing it. Similiar vulnerability for Symbian OS is a big thing, because almost no one updates their phone's firmware. =)

Unless the vulnerability is used to disable the updates. If that was the case, pushing out updates to all of those phones could be quite a lot harder.

Re: Root vulnerability found in iPhone OS, exploitable via SMS

#12
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If it's as as serious as the article claims, I'll be quite shocked. If someone were to release an iPhone worm that spreads via SMS, then Apple would be devastated.

But they would have better infrastructure to deal with it than any other cell provider. (iTunes, retail stores, etc.)

I'm pretty sure AT&T could do some packet filtering and block those bad sms.

Re: Root vulnerability found in iPhone OS, exploitable via SMS

#13
post #12
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But they would have better infrastructure to deal with it than any other cell provider. (iTunes, retail stores, etc.)

I'm pretty sure AT&T could do some packet filtering and block those bad sms.

I'm sure AT&T would love that. Virus protection, now from AT&T, only $20 more per month to protect your iPhone.

I don't think I'd trust them to keep up with all the new threats.

Re: Root vulnerability found in iPhone OS, exploitable via SMS

#14
post #7

This is not a big problem, because the fix can be forsed through its update system, like microsoft doing it. Similiar vulnerability for Symbian OS is a big thing, because almost no one updates their phone's firmware. =)

Unless the vulnerability is used to disable the updates. If that was the case, pushing out updates to all of those phones could be quite a lot harder.

Let's hope they get the update out before someone writes a worm that blocks updates.

Re: Root vulnerability found in iPhone OS, exploitable via SMS

#15
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If it's as as serious as the article claims, I'll be quite shocked. If someone were to release an iPhone worm that spreads via SMS, then Apple would be devastated.

But they would have better infrastructure to deal with it than any other cell provider. (iTunes, retail stores, etc.)

Except that competing smartphones (BlackBerry, Android, Pre, etc) almost all do OTA updates which is more reliable and doesn't require the user to keep up to date on their computer.

Re: Root vulnerability found in iPhone OS, exploitable via SMS

#18
post #12
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But they would have better infrastructure to deal with it than any other cell provider. (iTunes, retail stores, etc.)

I'm pretty sure AT&T could do some packet filtering and block those bad sms.

AT&T isn't the only carrier with iPhones, though. I can't imagine Telcel bothering, for example.

Re: Root vulnerability found in iPhone OS, exploitable via SMS

#19
post #10

This is singly the most important piece of iPhone news yet. It may even eclipse the announcement of the device itself... From the Computerworld article, the exploit gains root access. Imagine a 21 million phone bot-net created overnight, with the ability to geo-locate each unit and receive audio and video from it. Remember that most PC exploits can be prevented via a firewall, and this cannot. Most PC's are also behi…

I believe most wireless carriers will also turn off SMS completely if you call and ask.

Re: Root vulnerability found in iPhone OS, exploitable via SMS

#20
post #10

This is singly the most important piece of iPhone news yet. It may even eclipse the announcement of the device itself... From the Computerworld article, the exploit gains root access. Imagine a 21 million phone bot-net created overnight, with the ability to geo-locate each unit and receive audio and video from it. Remember that most PC exploits can be prevented via a firewall, and this cannot. Most PC's are also behi…

> How do I stop AT&T from delivering text messages? There's no way to turn them off at the OS level...

Airplane mode doesn't do this? (Yeah, yeah, Phyrric victory...)

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