Darmstadt IT scientists strongly recommend updating 12.1 for iOS operating systems
Darmstadt (pte016/October 31, 2018/10:30) - Researchers at TU Darmstadt http://www.tu-darmstadt.de have found a vulnerability in Apple's iOS operating system that affects more than half a billion devices. The just released update 12.1 fixes the security vulnerability called “CVE-2018-4368”, which allows attackers to easily crash iPhones and iPads with a standard WLAN card and a programmable circuit board that is available for less than 20 euros without physical access.
Crash without user interaction
Apple traditionally promotes user-friendly functions such as AirPlay, which allows users to wirelessly send music or films from a variety of Apple devices to compatible speakers and televisions with just one click. The protocols use extensions such as Apple Wireless Direct Link (AWDL), which enables direct WLAN communication between Apple devices. But the convenient functions also involve risks, explains TU professor Matthias Hollick, head of the Secure Mobile Networking Lab.
“AWDL uses various radio technologies. To put it simply, we ring the bell using Bluetooth LE Sturm and the target device activates AWDL. In a second step, we take advantage of the fact that Apple does not completely check the input that we send to the target device; this allows us to flood the device with nonsensical input. As a result, we can crash the target device or all nearby devices at the same time. We don’t need any user interaction.”
Bluetooth brute force attack
According to Hollick's colleague Milan Stute, the Bluetooth brute force attack only requires a WLAN card from a standard laptop and a BBC micro:bit, i.e. an inexpensive Bluetooth-enabled single-board computer, similar to a Raspberry Pi or Arduino. Potential attackers would have an easy time of it. The researchers demonstrate this in a video of the attack - which is no longer possible after the update has been successfully installed. One by one, the devices crash without the researchers even having to touch them once.
iOS 12.1 Release Notes: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222
via Pressetext.com
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