iPhone users are being warned by Google that they may have been “quietly” hacked by rogue websites.
The tech giant says simply visiting a website was enough to let hackers silently hijack your phone – giving them access to your photos, messages and more.
According to Google’s cyber-sleuthing Project Zero team, hackers were previously able to gain access to your images and location info.
The cyber-experts also warn that the hacking campaign affected most iPhone models, and went on for two years, according to a report.
The bug, which has now been fixed, will be worrying for iPhone owners – particularly as the devices are well-known for their privacy and security.
“There was no target discrimination – simply visiting the hacked site was enough for the exploit server to attack your site,” said Google’s Ian Beer, who works on the Project Zero team that discovered the bug.
Google said that Apple was notified of the issue on February 1, 2019.
Apple then patched the flaw six days later, protecting users against the bug.
As always, it’s important to keep your iPhone updated with the latest software version to protect yourself against hacks.
If you update to the latest software version, you’ll be safe from this particular exploit.
“Keeping your software up to date is one of the most important things you can do to maintain your Apple product’s security,” Apple’s support page explains.
The easiest way to update your iPhone is wirelessly – just follow these simple steps:
- Plug your iPhone into a power socket, and connect to a Wi-Fi network
- Tap Settings > General > Software Update
- Tap ‘Download and Install’
- Tap ‘Install’ to update immediately, or tap ‘Later’ and choose ‘Install Tonight’ to update while your phone is plugged in overnight
- You may have to enter your passcode
If you don’t have enough space for the update on your phone, Apple may ask you if it can temporarily remove some apps from your phone.
