This is not good news for Apple or anyone who owns an iPhone running the latest version of iOS 11 including the iOS 11.1 beta. An iOS 11 Photos bug has been discovered that can give strangers access to your most intimate, private, and personal photos – even while your iPhone is locked.
The iOS 11 Photos bug was discovered by a YouTube user, iDeviceHelp. He says he has made Apple aware of the bug so hopefully they are working on a patch to fix this bug ASAP. He also made a video showing how he is able to gain access to the photos on a locked iOS 11 device. Check it out:
Obviously there are a number of steps you have to take in order to exploit this bug so it’s not like someone can sneakily do it if your iPhone is sitting on the table next to you. However, if you misplace your iPhone then someone with a second device to help them exploit the bug has all the time in the world to gain access to your private photos. If you just take photos of your pets and your meals then maybe this isn’t super alarming. However, if you have personal, intimate photos that are not meant for the eyes of strangers then this could be downright scary. We have seen cyber criminals use hacked photos to blackmail people or bully them online.
What can you do to protect yourself? Right now… Not much. The best step to take until Apple releases a fix would be to remove any photos from your device that you would not want others to see without your permission. This is just in case you misplace your iPhone or have it stolen. Once Apple does release a fix for the iOS 11 Photos bug you will want to go ahead and download that new update immediately.
Yes, there are a lot of steps to exploit this bug but it is possible for anyone to do. Hopefully Apple is able to release update before too many people are able to take advantage of this bug.
This is just another in the growing list of iOS 11 problems for Apple and its customers. We have seen issues with Garageband, messaging, the home button, WiFi, and, of course, battery life. Obviously no piece of software is perfect and users will always look for exploits but does this latest iOS 11 Photos bug make you concerned about what other iOS 11 bugs may be lurking, undiscovered? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. And, don’t forget to take step to protect yourself and your private photos until Apple is able to release a fix.
