Many hackers have tried their hand at the iPhone and some have been successful. Regardless Apple has touted its products’ security.
According to CNN.com, Researchers from Georgia Tech say they’ve figured out a new way to break through the iPhone’s security forces—its charger.
The researchers created what is called a “malicious charger.”
Usually, owners of Apple’s Mac computers are safe because hackers tend to attack personal computers that run on Microsoft’s Windows.
Apple is usually able to keep its devices secure based on its “closed garden” strategy. The company must give the go-ahead for any app or accessory that will be used on its tablets, iPods, or phones.
However, according to the malicious charger’s makers—Billy Lau, Yeongjin Jang, and Chengyu Song—there is a way to break down Apple’s walls.
"(W)e investigated the extent to which security threats were considered when performing everyday activities such as charging a device," they explained in a presentation preview. "The results were alarming: despite the plethora of defense mechanisms in iOS, we successfully injected arbitrary software into current-generation Apple devices running the latest operating system (OS) software.
"All users are affected, as our approach requires neither a jailbroken device nor user interaction," the team added.
They will present their charger, called “Mactans”, in full at the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas on July 27. The term “mactans” comes from Lactrodectus mactans—the binomial name for the black widow spider.
"While Mactans was built with limited amount of time and a small budget, we also briefly consider what more motivated, well-funded adversaries could accomplish," they wrote in the preview. "Finally, we recommend ways in which users can protect themselves and suggest security features Apple could implement to make the attacks we describe substantially more difficult to pull off.”
Apple did not offer an immediate response to a request for comment from CNN.
