Apple releases fix for effective power iPhone crash prank

4.6
There's a text that you can send to your friends, that will crash their phone instantly, if it's sent from an iPhone to another iPhone.

It's been annoying people across the country, as people message each other the secret code.
The string of unique characters resets the phone, causing it to frustratingly turn on and off.

However, Apple today released a statement saying how to fix the phone if it is sent the malicious text.
The iPhone maker told the Press Association: "Apple is aware of an iMessage issue caused by a specific series of unicode characters and we will make a fix available in a software update. Until the update is available, you can use these steps to re-open the Messages app."


Sending your friend the string of characters, however, does not just crash Messages.
It can also be used to affect the Snapchat and Twitter apps, if sent in private messages on either of the platforms.

However, an expert has told the Press Association that nothing more sinister than a simple reboot will happen if you are sent the message, and that they assume Apple will fix it soon.

Mark James, security specialist at anti-virus firm ESET said: "I am sure we have all had our desktop machines reboot after a seemingly random event has triggered the dreaded reboot. These mobile computers we call phones today have the same core instructions - if all else fails then reboot.

"This does not necessarily mean it's a security flaw or indeed an exploitable bug but Apple will none the less try and rectify this as soon as they possibly can."

Posted:
Related Forum: Mobile Devices

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/11638930/Apple-releases-fix-for-effective-power-iPhone-crash-prank.html

Comments

"Apple releases fix for effective power iPhone crash prank" :: Login/Create an Account :: 66 comments

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MickersSweatsTTGPosted:

About 10 people sent me this and me being the idiot that I am I opened most of them :(

ArzuaPosted:

Got my phone reset like 4 times because of this.

CartierPosted:

Reptrain Thank god this hasn't happened to me yet.


Probably because none of my friends know about it.


I'm surprised. The first day that people found out about it, it seemed to spread around my entire city. Everyone I knew was sending me the message. It was the most annoying thing ever.

XBL-ABPosted:

This video is completely pointless to post on this article...

Other than that more people figured out fixes than this "security specialist" who probably copied the fixes from other people who thought of it first and did it.

-Dylan1Posted:

Might just do it to my mates, although I have an iPhone hope they don't send it back lol. Not been done to me yet luckily.

TywinPosted:

I think it's funny that people actually thought this would make people leave Apple for android.

SwiftPosted:

I've had multiple people send this to me. But I have an android. So it did nothing.

#androidmasterrace

ItalianPosted:

Evo8 Forever Android so I don't mind.


I've owned many different OS type of phones, Windows, Blackberry, Android, iPhone, etc.

I just want to say, technically this is also possible with Android or Windows, etc.

SkittlePosted:

I got a skype message about this but I just thought is was a load of BS, shame, I would have annoyed my mates so much >:)

XboxPosted:

Thank god this hasent happened to me yet.


Probably because none of my friends know about it.