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- Before Apple patch, Wi-Fi packets could steal photos. No interaction needed. Over the air.
Earlier this year, Apple patched one of the most breathtaking iPhone vulnerabilities ever: a memory corruption bug in the iOS kernel that gave attackers remote access to the entire device—over Wi-Fi, with no user interaction required at all. Oh, and exploits were wormable—meaning radio-proximity exploits could spread from one nearby device to another, once again, with no user interaction needed.
This Wi-Fi packet of death exploit was devised by Ian Beer, a researcher at Project Zero, Google’s vulnerability research arm. In a 30,000-word post published on Tuesday afternoon, Beer described the vulnerability and the proof-of-concept exploit he spent six months developing single-handedly. Almost immediately, fellow security researchers took notice.
As @jedishrfu said, "ask . . . why not" ##-## it seems sensational enough ##-## from the cited 30,000-word post:pbuk said:Why repeat the sensationalist headline?
Ian Beer said:
This demo shows the attacker successfully exploiting a victim iPhone 11 Pro device located in a different room through a closed door. The victim is using the Youtube app. The attacker forces the AWDL interface to activate then successfully exploits the AWDL buffer overflow to gain access to the device and run an implant as root. The implant has full access to the user's personal data, including emails, photos, messages, keychain and so on. The attacker demonstrates this by stealing the most recently taken photo. Delivery of the implant takes around two minutes, but with more engineering investment there's no reason this prototype couldn't be optimized to deliver the implant in a handful of seconds.
The "IPhone zero-click Wi-Fi exploit" is a hacking technique that allows attackers to gain access to an iPhone without the user's knowledge or interaction. This exploit takes advantage of a vulnerability in the iPhone's operating system, allowing the attacker to remotely control the device and access sensitive information.
The exploit works by sending a malicious Wi-Fi packet to the targeted iPhone. This packet contains code that triggers a vulnerability in the iPhone's operating system, allowing the attacker to gain control of the device. The attacker can then access the device's data and perform various actions, such as installing malware or stealing sensitive information.
Any iPhone user is at risk of being targeted by this exploit, as long as their device is connected to Wi-Fi. However, the exploit is most likely to be used against high-profile targets, such as government officials or business executives, due to the level of sophistication and resources required to carry out the attack.
The best way to protect yourself from this exploit is to keep your iPhone's operating system up to date. Apple has released a security update that fixes the vulnerability used in this exploit, so make sure to install it as soon as possible. It is also recommended to avoid connecting to public Wi-Fi networks and to use a virtual private network (VPN) when connecting to any Wi-Fi network.
No, there are various other types of exploits that can target iPhones. However, the "IPhone zero-click Wi-Fi exploit" is particularly concerning because it can be carried out without any interaction from the user, making it difficult to detect and defend against. It is important for users to stay informed about the latest security vulnerabilities and to take necessary precautions to protect their devices.