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Hackers Exploit Unpatchable iPhone Vulnerability
21 Jun
Summary
- A new hardware flaw, usbliter8, impacts older iPhones and Apple devices.
- Hackers can exploit this flaw via physical access, not remotely.
- The only fix is to upgrade to newer Apple hardware.
Cybersecurity experts have identified a critical, unfixable security flaw in older iPhone models and other Apple devices. This vulnerability, named usbliter8, affects the USB controller and firmware, enabling hackers to override the device's startup process and jailbreak it before the operating system loads. This allows unauthorized software to be installed or sensitive information to be extracted.
The flaw impacts iPhone models with A12 and A13 chips, including the iPhone 11 series, iPhone SE (2nd gen), XR, XS, and XS Max. It also extends to iPads and Apple Watches using S4 and S5 chips, covering specific generations of iPad, iPad Air, iPad Mini, iPad Pro, and Apple Watch SE, Series 4, and 5.
While hackers require physical access to exploit this vulnerability, stolen or confiscated devices remain at risk. Crucially, this is a hardware design issue, meaning Apple cannot resolve it with a software update. The most effective mitigation strategy advised by security firm Paradigm Shift is to upgrade to newer hardware.
