Categories: Tech

This funny bug can disable Wi-Fi on iPhones

<p>
A security researcher has discovered a funny bug that can completely disable your iPhone's ability to connect to Wi-Fi.</p>
<p>
Carl Schou said in a tweet that if an iPhone comes within range of a network named %secretclub%power, the device won't be able to use Wi-Fi or any related features.</p>
<p>
He basically found that certain Wi-Fi networks with the percent symbol (%) in their names can disable Wi-Fi on iPhones and other iOS devices, reports 9to5Mac.</p>
<p>
Once an iPhone or iPad joins the network with the name '%p%s%s%s%s%n', the device fails to connect to Wi-Fi networks or use system networking features like AirDrop.</p>
<p>
The issue persists after rebooting the device.</p>
<p>
The '%' symbol is commonly used in programming languages to format variables into an output string.</p>
<p>
"In C, the �%n' specifier means to save the number of characters written into the format string out to a variable passed to the string format function. The Wi-Fi subsystem probably passes the Wi-Fi network name (SSID) unsanitised to some internal library that is performing string formatting, which in turn causes an arbitrary memory write and buffer overflow," explained the report.</p>
<p>
"This will lead to memory corruption and the iOS watchdog will kill the process, hence effectively disabling Wi-Fi for the user," it added.</p>
<p>
Apple was yet to report if it was working on any fix for the issue.</p>

IANS

Recent Posts

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri inaugurates office of Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board in Delhi

Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, on Thursday, inaugurated the office…

15 hours ago

PoGB: Protesters lock WAPDA office as Diamer-Bhasha dam protest enters 18th day

As the protest over a 31-point charter of demands reached its 18th day, those impacted…

15 hours ago

30,161 taxpayers declare foreign assets worth more than Rs 29,000 crore in CBDT’s ‘nudging campaign’

By Shailesh Yadav The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) "nudging campaign" has yielded significant…

16 hours ago

Environmental group accuses China of depleting Argentina’s marine resources

China possesses the largest fishing fleet globally, which is increasingly depleting Argentina's marine resources through…

17 hours ago

INSV Tarini heads to Cape Town after stop in Port Stanley

Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini departed from Port Stanley and was heading to Cape…

17 hours ago

“Want no season to be off season” PM Modi encourages diversification in Uttarakhand tourism

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday encouraged the people to diversify the Uttarakhand tourism sector…

20 hours ago