iOS is usually considered among the most secure mobile platforms. However, every now and then, a tiny flaw is discovered which can be exploited to accomplish a lot of things. For instance, a new trick on an iPhone running iOS 6.1 allows you to easily bypass the device’s lockscreen.
Lockscreen serves a very critical function for many users. If they lose their iPhone, have it misplaced or get it stolen, they are able to mitigate the damage since the lockscreen would prevent most novices (not software experts) from accessing the data on the device right away.
However, this can’t be said for iPhones running iOS 6.1. That is because a newly-discovered exploit in the new firmware allows a user to easily circumvent the lockscreen. This is how the trick works:
- Go to the emergency call section from the lockscreen. That can be done without providing the passcode.
- On the emergency call screen, dial an emergency number and then immediately cancel the call.
- Now put the device back into standby and power it up again.
- Go back to the emergency call section while holding down the power button and hit the emergency call button.
- Viola! You’ve bypassed the lockscreen.
Once you do this, you are able to access the phone app, access contacts, even modify them, look through the photos stored on the handset and check the voicemail. Naturally, the simple trick renders the security provided by lockscreen useless on iOS 6.1 devices.
The good thing is that Apple has responded to the discovery rather quickly, citing that it is well aware of it and is currently working on a fix for it. We do hope the fix arrives soon. To get a more hands-on view of the trick, watch the video below.
Source: YouTube
Courtesy: The Verge
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