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Tag: ios 6.0

  • iPhone Security Flaw Allows Spoofed Texting

    A security researcher specializing in Apple’s iOS platform today outlined a method to spoof SMS messages on the iPhone. This could allow text messages to be sent that appear to be from another source, meaning the exploit is ripe for phishing scams. For example, a message could be sent, appearing to be from a customers’ bank, asking for private account information.

    The researcher, called pod2g, stated in his blog post that the security flaw runs through every version of iOS, including the latest beta of iOS 6. He implored Apple to patch the exploit, fearing that some pirates already know of the exploit.

    Pod2g explained that SMS messages are converted into Protocol Description Unit (PDU) before being sent. The exploit involves having an account in an SMS gateway and sending texts in raw PDU format. He stated that there are already tools online that can do this, and that he has created one for the iPhone 4 himself. Pod2g explains the next step in his blog post:

    In the text payload, a section called UDH (User Data Header) is optional but defines lot of advanced features not all mobiles are compatible with. One of these options enables the user to change the reply address of the text. If the destination mobile is compatible with it, and if the receiver tries to answer to the text, he will not respond to the original number, but to the specified one. Most carriers don’t check this part of the message, which means one can write whatever he wants in this section : a special number like 911, or the number of somebody else.

    The reason this exploit works on an iPhone, pod2g states, is that the iPhone shows a text as coming from the reply-to number. He suggests that Apple change the implementation of its SMS messaging to show both the original number and the reply-to number.

    (via BGR)

  • iOS 6.0 Rumor: Google Maps Replaced By OpenStreetMap

    Whispers that Apple may be ending its dependency on Google Maps in all iOS devices continue to grow louder. The latest piece of evidence to join that chorus comes by way of a leaked image acquired by Macworld UK that purports to be a leaked image of a map from iOS 6.0. The image alleged to be taken from iOS 6 is from OpenStreetMap and features the watercolor overlay created for the open-source map service by Stamen.

    iOS 6.0 OpenStreetMap Leak courtesy of Macworld UK

    Given the “leak” is pretty nondescript, I have to concur with Macworld, that speculation on the verity of this leak should be approached cautiously because this could have easily just been an image produced via iPhoto using Stamen’s watercolor design.

    Still, Apple going with OpenStreetMap wouldn’t be a complete surprise at this point, would it?

    Apple’s already abandoned Google Maps for OpenStreetMap with the release of iPhoto for iOS; strangely, though, Google Maps is still being used for the platform’s geotagging. At least for the purposes of iPhoto, OpenStreetMap noticed some problems with the map data being used by Apple, namely that the data is two years old and the lack of credit to OpenStreetMap’s contributors (tsk, tsk, Apple). Plus, this year has seen an attrition of map-utilizing companies from Google Maps, perhaps most notably – at least before Apple’s suspected defection – foursquare.

    The integration of Google Maps into iOS devices must be a significant source of Google’s mobile search traffic but also its commanding dominance in the overall search market. Without the automatic traffic collected from iOS users searching for places or directions via the Maps app’s automatic sync with Google Maps would take quite a big chunk out of Google’s market share. Google’s enjoyed the fruits of its partnership with Apple since the iPhone has had a mapping application on it (since the beginning, really), so this could be a rough breakup for Google if this rumor pans out.

    [Via PC World.]