A new exploit will either lock up your iPhone or iPod Touch or crash your Safari browser on your PC or Mac OS desktop if you simply visit a maliciously coded Web site. Unlike an earlier exploit that required users to click to become infected, the new code published by iPhoneWorld requires no user interaction.
I knew it would not be long before hackers started to work on Apple.I think many are finding that the OS on the iPhone is not quite as good as the full OS on the Apple computer’s.I would guess Apple had to compromise considering the size that a OS takes up anymore.I think the whole thing started because of all the restrictions Apple or rather Steve Jobs has put on it from the start. He was stupid to assume that nobody would try and open the iPhone up and make it more friendly.
Actually, the exploit – if it’s worthy of the name – is a piece of Javascript that identifies that a Safari browser has accessed the “malicious” site. It keeps the page from downloading and the javascript locks up the browser in that loop – until you Force Quit and reopen your browser.
That’s not “hacking” the iPhone or whichever computer is running Safari.
It’s been around since January in one form or another. Never run into it in the wild. But, then, most folks aren’t likely to visit websites run by script kiddies, anyway.
This doesn’t make it a security risk, it’s not turning iphones into spam zombies, and it’s not bricking the iphone. It’s just a bug that crashes an app you’re running on it, so big deal.. this is some how new, because it’s on an apple product?
Apps on Apple machines crash all the time, so what?
iPhone WILL have it’s virus. That’s the main fear Apple has. That’s why they’ve come up with such an anal-retentive structure to have apps on the phone. I mean, to get a virus in the iPhone people need to willingly step out of the “Apple-path” and jailbreak the phone.
Speaking of hackers, one of my friends’ yahoo account was hacked and I got an e-mail saying he needs help in Nigeria. I have the name and address of who I should sent the money to in Lagos. Any ideas on what I should do with this info? Is there anybody that actually punishes this sort of thing?
God, I hope hackers do find ways to trash iPhones and Macs. If there were only some way to actually let the smoke out of the hardware….nothing works once the smoke gets out.
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“Oops! Are hackers now starting to target Apple?”
Not if they want to make money.
I knew it would not be long before hackers started to work on Apple.I think many are finding that the OS on the iPhone is not quite as good as the full OS on the Apple computer’s.I would guess Apple had to compromise considering the size that a OS takes up anymore.I think the whole thing started because of all the restrictions Apple or rather Steve Jobs has put on it from the start. He was stupid to assume that nobody would try and open the iPhone up and make it more friendly.
Growing pains. Once you get too popular, you become a target.
Have they fixed the user level flaws (everything runs as root) on the iPhone yet?
The latest version of Safari that just came out today (3.1) for Mac OS X has no problem with the malicious code on the test web page.
Actually, the exploit – if it’s worthy of the name – is a piece of Javascript that identifies that a Safari browser has accessed the “malicious” site. It keeps the page from downloading and the javascript locks up the browser in that loop – until you Force Quit and reopen your browser.
That’s not “hacking” the iPhone or whichever computer is running Safari.
It’s been around since January in one form or another. Never run into it in the wild. But, then, most folks aren’t likely to visit websites run by script kiddies, anyway.
#6: moss – You’re whistling in the wind if you think that only script kiddies are targeting this ubiquitous device.
#4. One man’s flaw, is another man’s feature.
That’s what ya get for wanting to be in the spotlight. Can’t be worse than Microsoft though.
This doesn’t make it a security risk, it’s not turning iphones into spam zombies, and it’s not bricking the iphone. It’s just a bug that crashes an app you’re running on it, so big deal.. this is some how new, because it’s on an apple product?
Apps on Apple machines crash all the time, so what?
Can you write javascript to lockup any browser? Or is Safari especially vulnerable?
iPhone WILL have it’s virus. That’s the main fear Apple has. That’s why they’ve come up with such an anal-retentive structure to have apps on the phone. I mean, to get a virus in the iPhone people need to willingly step out of the “Apple-path” and jailbreak the phone.
i think i might have run into this. i have a macbook and safari crashes constantly, even after i upgraded to 3.1. i use firefox because i have to.
#15 – I’ve used the Safari 3.0 beta on 2 Apple computers right through to the 3.1 public release and never experienced crashes.
I don’t wander around looking for malicious whatever sites; but, tried the test suggested in the article and had no problems.
Use Firefox and Safari pretty much equally.
Makes me glad for my N800. Debated long and hard about an iTouch, but N800 just had more neet stuff to run.
Speaking of hackers, one of my friends’ yahoo account was hacked and I got an e-mail saying he needs help in Nigeria. I have the name and address of who I should sent the money to in Lagos. Any ideas on what I should do with this info? Is there anybody that actually punishes this sort of thing?
#18 – MikeN, This is very serious. You should send the money as soon as you can.
Make something locks up (not viral. you can jsut reboot out of it) and your front page news? Man stories like these bring out the haters.
It truly is lonely at the top.
#19, even worse, while researching who fights this, I got a virus on my computer. I still can’t find the page that gave me the virus.
God, I hope hackers do find ways to trash iPhones and Macs. If there were only some way to actually let the smoke out of the hardware….nothing works once the smoke gets out.