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iPhone's Web Browser Vulnerable to Hacker Attacks

by Tim Stevens on July 23, 2007 at 10:01 AM

Browser Bug Gives Hackers Full iPhone ControlReseachers at Independent Security Evaluators, a Baltimore-based group of security consultants, have found a bug that reputedly has the potential to allow hackers to take complete control of your iPhone. The problem lies in Safari, the Web browser installed on the phone and (currently) the only means for iPhone users to run non-Apple certified applications like Jive Talk. Apple has indicated that the iPhone's inability to download and install applications was set-up for the sake of security, but right now it doesn't look like that strategy is doing anything to ward off threats.

According to the researchers, the Safari bug could allow a hacker to do everything from peruse your call history to snoop your text messages or even extract your e-mail passwords. It's a serious flaw and one that Apple has no fix for at the moment. What makes it even more troubling is that this bug may also apply to PC- and Mac-based versions of Safari as well. The researchers have created a Web site containing more information about the hack at exploitingiphone.com, and they also plan to discuss it at the Blackhat security conference in two weeks' time.

So, with-it iPhone owner, what can you do? The safest option is to stop using Safari altogether, but then you would be avoiding what is surely one of the coolest, smoothest, and most innovative of all the iPhone's features? So, other than waiting for Apple to get off its duff and delivers a fix, you should use the typical precautions you'd use when surfing the Internet, which is to avoid shady Web sites when you're surfing with Safari on your iPhone. For your home machine, maybe it's time to think about another browser ... ?


From Engadget

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Tags: iPhone, Safari

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