Apple Updates iOS 7 To Fix Passcode Bypass

Apple has quickly pushed out a fix for a passcode bypass in its recently-launched iOS 7 operating system.

Jose Rodriguez, a soldier living in the Canary Islands, showed off the bypass earlier this month by just carrying out a few commands from the lockscreen page. It let anyone who got hold of an iPhone, iPad or iPod running iOS 7 to view emails, social networks and photos.

iOS 7 fix

Apple promised a patch and has now delivered in iOS 7.02. Users can find the update by going to settings, general and then tapping software update.

Some have suggested Apple should start up a bug bounty programme, rewarding users for finding flaws. Speaking over email to TechWeek last Friday, Rodriguez suggested Apple could respond to each reported security breach with a ”symbolic gratification”, like a medal, a trophy, or an iTunes Gift Card.

“This shows that they [Apple] need to change something in their internal politics,” Rodriguez said.”This should not happen.”

Apple has had numerous security issues in iOS 7, its most significant operating system upgrade since it originally launched the iPhone in 2007.

Last weekend, German hackers showed how they could easily bypass the fingerprint sensor protection by using a fake thumb that was created using a photo of a real thumb print.

“Anyone want to place a bet on how long it takes hackers to find a vulnerability in this version?” asked Graham Cluley.

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Thomas Brewster

Tom Brewster is TechWeek Europe's Security Correspondent. He has also been named BT Information Security Journalist of the Year in 2012 and 2013.

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