Does your business keep you on the go? Sometimes, the only way to keep up is to use your mobile devices hands-free, allowing you to multitask. VoiceOver is an Apple feature that enables you to do just this, but the provider has recently revealed an Apple security flaw that could be jeopardizing personal data.
Read on to safeguard your data security in and out of the office.
How Apple’s Applications Were Meant To Work
VoiceOver and Passwords with auto-fill are two examples in the spotlight with this Apple security flaw.
VoiceOver is an accessibility feature that works as a built-in screen reader on newer Apple products, including MacOS and tvOS. If you’ve ever used Siri, you’ll notice similarities since this feature allows you to speak to your devices (no more typing in questions or concerns or scouring your phone or iPad manually!). The devices respond verbally, ensuring a hands-off experience.
Like VoiceOver, Passwords saves business owners time by making certain device actions seem effortless. The passwords manager app, which debuted with iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, gives Apple users somewhere to create, place, and manage all their passwords, including passkeys and WiFi passwords. Businesses can also share passwords with groups, such as employees who use the same login.
Auto-fill recalls your passwords so you don’t have to, and two-factor verification codes act as additional security and alert you of breaches. All passwords remain encrypted throughout these processes and transfers, so your team can access them anytime without fearing exposure—that is, until this Apple security flaw.
This Apple Security Flaw Puts Users on Edge
Users report a problem—the above apps have been reading their passwords out loud. Understandably, this is creating an unexpected, unprecedented, and embarrassing situation.
After leaving businesses in the dark for a while, Apple’s researchers have just now disclosed that the password exposure bug derived from Passwords (not VoiceOver) but don’t know its severity score. We do know it is a “logic issue”. It has affected iPhone models back to the iPhone XS and several iPad Pro, iPad Air, and iPad Mini devices.
Additionally, while this was the most critical security flaw that cybersecurity researchers uncovered, it was not the only one. For example, one glitch caused iPhone 16 microphones to record seconds of audio, such as during audio messages, before displaying the microphone symbol! That’s understandably worrying in both a business and a personal context.
Apple’s Remedy for Your Business
Apple’s password protection flaw and other issues could demolish a business. Imagine login credentials leaking and entering the hands of unauthorized third parties. Hackers could use this data to destroy your image, steal personal information, gather customers’ credit card numbers or identities, and hold your company for ransom.
Luckily, the concerned provider addressed this Apple security flaw with a major bug fix. Now, with the release of a new Apple iOS update, business owners like you can feel safe storing passwords for later use. Upgrade to the newest Apple security update and relax.
