iPhone Users Warned Against Hackers

News9.com

OKLAHOMA CITY - iPhone experts are warning iPhone users to be on guard against hackers.

Famed hacker Charlie Miller uncovered flaws in the iPhone that leaves it susceptible to hackers. Miller told Apple about the issues, but Apple has yet to fix them. Miller is reportedly putting pressure on Apple by showing exactly how to hijack the iPhone at a cybersecurity conference.

iPhone users who receive a text message with a square character should turn their phones off immediately, but even then it might be too late. After sending the text message, the bad guys can do an assortment of things to the phone remotely such as calling people, sending e-mail, taking pictures, or even getting access to account information and passwords in the phone.

NEWS 9's technology expert Joel Craig said the threat is real.

"The iPhone, like a lot of other phones these days, are really just computers, and because the manufacturer can send updates to the computer or fix bugs that may be in it by sending you a message, hackers have found a way to get into the system similar to what the phone companies do or what Apple does to make fixes or change things. Then they can go in and in some cases they can take over the phone. In some cases they can just shut it down and you won't be able to use it," Craig said.

However, Craig said the possibility of hijacking should not send the public into a panic. He said in most cases, hackers will need to have an iPhone user's phone number in order to send the text message.

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