APPLE’S latest iOS 17.2 beta can be hacked by a Flipper Zero device, experts say.
A Flipper Zero is a $169 radio-like gadget that has been making waves lately.
The gadget was first announced in August 2020 as a result of a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign – which raised a whopping $4.8 million.
It can interact with the Bluetooth Low Energy protocol that lets devices exchange data.
The multi-tool is often used “to expose vulnerabilities in the world around them, like a cybersecurity X-ray,” Tech Target wrote earlier this year.
Flipper Zero’s inbuilt radio and wireless equipment means pranksters can have endless fun fooling their friends and family.
And Apple’s latest iOS 17.2 beta upgrade is not immune to the device’s capabilities.
Phone Arena explains that while the Flipper Zero was not created to mess with iPhones, it was quickly modified to do so.
This is thanks to the open-source firmware, which is easy to manipulate.
“It can perform Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks, spamming iPhones and iPads with an overwhelming amount of Bluetooth connection notifications,” Phone Arena wrote.
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“All these notifications cause the device(s) to freeze for minutes and then reboot.”
Specifically, the attack uses a BLE pairing sequence flaw that can mess with AirDrop, HandOff, iBeacon, and HomeKit.
Moreover, victims of the attacks don’t even need to be especially close to the device.
Phone Arena reported that the device has a range of around 164 feet or 50 meters.
HOW TO STAY SAFE
At this point, users only have one option to prevent the gadget from affecting their devices.
That solution is to turn off Bluetooth completely from your iPhone’s settings.
It’s important to note that Airplane Mode won’t work as a defense, and neither will turning off Bluetooth from your Control Center.