Apple is working on a fix to stop the exploitation of a hole in their iPhone and iPad software which through the use of a PDF file allows hackers to get access to contact and password data.
Apple is working on a fix to stop the exploitation of a hole in their iPhone and iPad software which through the use of a PDF file allows hackers to get access to contact and password data.
The Wall Street Journal claims that iPhone users are particularly vulnerable when they view Portable Document Format, or PDF files, which give attackers an opportunity to infect the devices with malicious software, giving them administrative rights to the device.
The problem was discovered by the German Federal Office for Information Security.
Apple said that they are currently working to resolve the problem.
The security hole allows hackers to read confidential information such as passwords, online-banking data, calendars, e-mails and other information, as well as intercept telephone conversations and the location of the user. The security hole is present in several versions of Apple’s iOS software on its iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch products, the agency added.
“Apple takes security very seriously, we’re aware of this reported issue and developing a fix that will be available to customers in an upcoming software update,” the company said in a statement.
An Apple spokeswoman declined to say when exactly the software update would be made available.