iPhone PDF Security Threat Revealed

There is a good reason obscure platforms do not get attacked a whole lot by hackers. It is not because they are completely safe and hackerproof. It is due to the fact that most hackers focus on going after established, fast growing software. iOS certainly fits the bill. Many experts believe that malware threats for this platform will only rise in the next few years. In fact, a flaw in a recent jailbreak solution for iOS has prompted security experts in Germany to issue a warning for iOS users.

Jail Break Me is a web-based solution that allows iPhone owners to jailbreak their phones. The Dev-Team has already released the latest version of this software that makes jail breaking iPhones a piece of cake. Unfortunately, the software can be reverse-engineered by hackers to take control of the host device. As AP reported, a malicious PDF is all it takes for hackers to gain access to users’ confidential information:

Possible scenarios for attacks by cyber criminals include the extraction of confidential information (passwords, online banking data, calendars, e-mails, SMS or contacts), accessing the device’s cameras, the user’s GPS data as well as listening in on phone conversations.

The German security agency has encouraged iPhone owners to avoid opening up suspicious PDF files on their devices until this security hole is patched up. The folks behind JailBreakMe.com have already issued a temporary patch for this but you need a jailbroken phone for that.

Every piece of software on this planet has security holes. Android and iOS are no different. No matter how secure you think your phone’s OS is, you do not want to store mission critical and highly sensitive information on your phone (at least without heavy protection). Let’s hope Apple addresses this issue as quickly as it has promised.