iPhone Bug Freezes Your Phone With Just One Link

iPhone Bug Freezes Your Phone With Just One Link

The chaiOS bug can freeze or restart your phone without even having to click the link.

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • Jan 19, 2018

Imagine receiving a text from someone, you open the thread and see the text is actually a link. Before you even click on the link, your phone freezes up or restarts, throwing you into a panic. Unfortunately, this can happen. It is the exact bug software developer Abraham Masri found in iPhones this past week.

Masri announced the bug, which he aptly named "chaiOS," on his Twitter account and explain that it exploits the fact that iMessages preloads any links to webpages so it can show users a preview of the page. In an interview with Buzzfeed News, Masri explained that he create a webpage hosed on GitHub and stuffed its metadata with hundreds of thousands of unnecessary characters causing your phone to crash when trying to load all of the unexpected information, sometimes taking the entire operating system down with it.

Initially, Masri had posted a link that used the chaiOS in a Tweet on his account, but the page, and a few others that mirror the bug, has since been taken down by the host site. Masri said he isn't going to re-upload the bug, saying he only released it to "get Apple's attention."

Apple has announced they will release a fix for the bug next week.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • A Look at AI

    Large language models (LLMs) have taken the world by storm. Within months of OpenAI launching its AI chatbot, ChatGPT, it amassed more than 100 million users, making it the fastest-growing consumer application in history. Read Now

  • First, Do No Harm: Responsibly Applying Artificial Intelligence

    It was 2022 when early LLMs (Large Language Models) brought the term “AI” into mainstream public consciousness and since then, we’ve seen security corporations and integrators attempt to develop their solutions and sales pitches around the biggest tech boom of the 21st century. However, not all “artificial intelligence” is equally suitable for security applications, and it’s essential for end users to remain vigilant in understanding how their solutions are utilizing AI. Read Now

  • Improve Incident Response With Intelligent Cloud Video Surveillance

    Video surveillance is a vital part of business security, helping institutions protect against everyday threats for increased employee, customer, and student safety. However, many outdated surveillance solutions lack the ability to offer immediate insights into critical incidents. This slows down investigations and limits how effectively teams can respond to situations, creating greater risks for the organization. Read Now

  • Security Today Announces 2025 CyberSecured Award Winners

    Security Today is pleased to announce the 2025 CyberSecured Awards winners. Sixteen companies are being recognized this year for their network products and other cybersecurity initiatives that secure our world today. Read Now

  • Empowering and Securing a Mobile Workforce

    What happens when technology lets you work anywhere – but exposes you to security threats everywhere? This is the reality of modern work. No longer tethered to desks, work happens everywhere – in the office, from home, on the road, and in countless locations in between. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities