Pretty much everybody considers an update on their iPhone as an inconvenience. I mean, who wants to start the update and wait for what seems like hours before the installation is finished. How many tweets and posts are you missing during that down time?
But there are some pretty necessary items in the latest update that could be very important to the users, according to cnet.com. The update that Apple released yesterday includes a patch for a bug that could potentially allow hackers to take over your phone without you even knowing it.
The article continues that you would have to connect to a fake Wi-Fi network for that to happen, but after that, almost all the information in your phone can be accessed. At this point, there is no indication that has been done to anyone, but it sort of points out how dependent we have become on the device in your pocket or purse.
Phones have made the transition from, well, phones, to digital libraries, containing driver’s licenses, credit information, personal banking information, and online ordering data for purchases from a number of websites and online stores. For some, they are almost their complete life’s history, compressed into a digital device. That makes the protection of that information essential to protecting your identity.
In announcing the release, Apple did not comment on the vulnerability, but researchers at Skycure, a cyber-security firm say they reported the flaw to Apple back in June of last year. Researcher Adi Sharabani, of Skycure, said hackers could do all kinds of damage once they have grabbed your info from the fake network. From stealing cookies, to installing malicious software to record your keystrokes, they could potentially steal your passwords and other login info. After that happens, they have as much access to your accounts as you do.
The time it took to complete the fix for the problem may be an indication of just how complex the situation was.
So while it may be aggravating to slow down your social media presence for a little while, in the long run, you may be saving yourself from a great deal of aggravation trying to get your stolen identity back.