Apple doesn’t have a perfect track record when it comes to giving hackers access to locked iPhones. It actually seems like every version of Apple’s mobile operating system ends up exposing a bug that grants anyone access. And iOS 9 is the latest.
Some security researchers found a way to slide past the iPhone lock screen in iOS 9.0.1, the latest build. However, the method is hardly simple. As the hackers show in a video below, you must enter the wrong passcode four times, and when you enter it a fifth time, you have to hit the home button immediately so that the phone does disable itself. Holding the home button will call up Siri, who you need to ask what time it is. This will pull up the clock. THEN you just open the clock app and hit the “+” icon to gain access to the phone’s search function. From there you can see and edit contacts, access text messages, access photos, and all kinds of other fun stuff.
It’s that easy! Just kidding it’s not easy at all. In fact, you have to wonder exactly how the hackers figured that out, and we all hope Apple fixes the bug before someone does something bad. You can protect yourself by disabling Siri from being accessible on the lock screen. That or just switch to Android.
Just kidding. Android’s a security apocalypse waiting to happen.