A new bug discovered by a security researcher has emerged, capable of causing Apple devices to crash by simply typing four specific characters. This issue particularly affects iPhones and iPads, leading them to reload to the Lock Screen after being triggered. Web security researcher Konstantin revealed this finding earlier in the week on social media, alerting users to the potential danger of this seemingly harmless sequence.
Konstantin explained the bug in a post, stating that "you can crash your [Apple mobile user interface] iPhone Springboard pretty easily." According to his findings, swiping past all Home Screen pages and searching for the four characters in the App Library will cause an immediate crash. Additionally, typing the characters in the search bar of the Settings page also triggers the bug. This causes the device to flash a black screen briefly before returning to the Lock Screen, disrupting the user's experience.
The four characters in question are two double quotation marks followed by two colons, specifically: ""::
While this might seem like a minor issue, Konstantin cautioned users on the social network Mastodon, saying, "Do this at your own risk." The simplicity of the bug has raised concerns among users, with many sharing their experiences on various social media platforms. Some users reported that the bug could be activated by typing just the first three characters.
Despite the widespread attention the bug has garnered, experts in the field have assured the public that it does not pose a security risk. Ryan Stortz, an iOS security researcher, analyzed the bug and confirmed that it is not a security vulnerability. Patrick Wardle, another iOS security expert, concurred with Stortz's assessment, reinforcing that the bug is a glitch in the system rather than a security flaw.
The bug is reportedly present in the latest versions of iOS 17 and even in the beta of iOS 18. Apple is expected to address and fix the issue in an upcoming iOS update, likely in version 17.6.2, according to several reports.
Until then, users are advised to avoid typing or searching for the specific character sequence to prevent unnecessary device crashes. The situation underscores the importance of regular updates and the continuous monitoring of system vulnerabilities.
