Urgent warning for iPhone owners over ‘Flipper’ device that can ‘render phone nonfunctional’ without even touching it
A HACKING tool has made it easier than ever for a bad guy to hack into iPhones and more.
The device is called a Flipper Zero and lets hackers spam your iPhone with pop-ups asking you to connect to a nearby AirTag, Apple TV, AirPods, and other Apple devices.
Flipper Zero’s can be programmed to do wireless attacks on devices like iPhones, keyfobs, etc., in its range – it can send the pop-ups to a point where the phone is unusable.
The hacking capabilities were brought to light by a security researcher referred to as Anthony who tested the attack.
“It’s not just a minor inconvenience; it can disrupt the seamless experience that Apple users are accustomed to,” Anthony said in a blog explaining the attacks.
“It can lead to confusion, disrupt workflows, and in rare cases, pose security concerns. It underscores the importance of being aware of the devices around us and the potential vulnerabilities inherent in wireless communications.”
The Flipper Zero is advertised as a device for pranks or as a toy for geeks.
The description of the device says: “Flipper Zero is a portable multi-tool for pentesters and geeks in a toy-like body.
“It loves hacking digital stuff, such as radio protocols, access control systems, hardware, and more.
It’s fully open-source and customizable, so you can extend it in whatever way you like,”
A Twitter user also explained what the device is capable of and gave a warning.
“It has the capability to effectively launch a DDOS notification attack on any iOS device, rendering it nonfunctional. Even if the device is in airplane mode, it’s still susceptible,” the user said.
“Apple should consider implementing safeguards to mitigate.”
Anthony concluded there are three main reasons why a person might want to use a Flipper Zero.
This includes pranks as someone might find it funny to spam someone, or testing/researching as cybersecurity professionals may be testing for vulnerabilities, or for malicious intent where someone is trying to hack or attack a device.