Newly Discovered Bug Causes iPhones and iPads to Crash
A recently discovered bug has the potential to briefly crash iPhones and iPads, and all it takes is four characters. This alarming revelation was made by a security researcher who found that typing “”: can cause the Apple mobile user interface, known as Springboard, to crash.
TechCrunch has verified this claim, confirming that these characters do indeed crash Springboard when entered into the Search bar in the Settings app. The bug also affects the App Library search bar, which can be accessed by swiping all the way to the right on the home screen.
Interestingly, it was discovered that the bug can be triggered simply by typing “”: followed by any other character. When this bug is triggered, Springboard crashes momentarily before reloading to the lock screen. In some instances, the bug caused the screen to briefly go black.
When approached for comment, Apple did not provide any response. However, security researchers who have analyzed the bug have confirmed that it does not appear to be a security issue. Ryan Stortz, an iOS security researcher, stated, “It’s not a security bug.” Patrick Wardle, a researcher specializing in iOS and the founder of security startup DoubleYou, agreed with this assessment.
Unlike a bug discovered in 2020 that caused the Twitter app to crash for any user viewing a tweet with a certain set of characters, there is currently no evidence to suggest that anyone other than an iOS device owner manually typing these specific characters can trigger the bug. This provides some reassurance that the bug is not easily exploitable by malicious actors.
While this bug may not pose a significant security risk, it is still a cause for concern as it can disrupt the normal functioning of iPhones and iPads. Users should remain cautious and avoid typing these characters until Apple addresses the issue with a software update. As always, it is crucial to stay vigilant and follow best practices for device security.