“Is Your iPhone Safe? Hackers Use Zero-Click Exploit to Drop QuaDream Spyware”
A team of researchers from the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab have discovered an “interactionless” exploit in iPhones’s iMessage platform, allowing attackers to gain control over iPhones without any user interaction or even knowledge of the user.
The researchers noted that the exploit takes advantage of a memory error in the iPhone’s messaging app, which allows attackers to remotely install a spyware called ‘Pegasus’ on the device without interaction by simply sending a message to the victim’s iPhone. Once installed, the spyware can monitor and record all activities, such as calls, messages, and passwords, among others, on the infected device.
While Apple has released a security update to address the vulnerability, the researchers warn that the exploit potentially affected all iPhone models from iPhone 6 to iPhone X, and the attackers could still use similar techniques to target newer iPhone models.
The discovery highlights the severity of potential cyberattacks, as well as the importance of regularly updating devices’ security. To ensure your device is secure, update your iPhone’s software to the latest version available, install an antivirus program, and do not click on suspicious links or download unknown files.
Key Takeaway: The recent discovery of the “interactionless” exploit in iPhones’s iMessage platform highlights the importance of keeping devices’ software updated and being cautious when clicking on unknown links or installing file attachments. The vulnerability potentially affected all iPhone models, including the latest ones, indicating the severity of cyberattacks on mobile devices.
