New Flaws in 4G, 5G Allow Attackers to Intercept Calls and Track Phone Locations →

March 4, 2019 · 09:52

Zack Whittaker, reporting for TechCrunch:

A group of academics have found three new security flaws in 4G and 5G, which they say can be used to intercept phone calls and track the locations of cell phone users.

The findings are said to be the first time vulnerabilities have affected both 4G and the incoming 5G standard, which promises faster speeds and better security, particularly against law enforcement use of cell site simulators, known as “stingrays.” But the researchers say that their new attacks can defeat newer protections that were believed to make it more difficult to snoop on phone users.

I have been trying to use FaceTime Audio more and more since it debuted, because it’s safer, supposedly secure, and the quality of the connection is clearly superior. That said, many people I call frequently ask me why I called them over FaceTime Audio instead of a traditional cellular connection, the complaint evident in their voice. Is this is a sign of my generation not accepting technologies that replace “traditional” voice calls? Or am I missing something?


Major FaceTime Bug Lets You Hear the Audio of the Person You Are Calling Before They Pick Up →

January 29, 2019 · 10:49

Benjamin Mayo, for 9to5Mac:

A significant bug has been discovered in FaceTime and is currently spreading virally over social media. The bug lets you call anyone with FaceTime, and immediately hear the audio coming from their phone — before the person on the other end has accepted or rejected the incoming call. Apple says the issue will be addressed in a software update “later this week”.

In the meantime, Tim Cook tweeted:

We must keep fighting for the kind of world we want to live in. On this #DataPrivacyDay let us all insist on action and reform for vital privacy protections. The dangers are real and the consequences are too important.

Twitter user MGT7500 claims to have reported the bug days ago:

My teen found a major security flaw in Apple’s new iOS. He can listen in to your iPhone/iPad without your approval. I have video. Submitted bug report to @AppleSupport…waiting to hear back to provide details. Scary stuff!

At this point it’s not even the bug itself that irritates me, but the manner in which apple handles such reports. It’s unacceptable to call “all hands on deck” only after news of the bug goes public.