New iOS 11 bug allows Siri to bypass privacy lock and read chat messages to anyone who asks. Digital privacy has exploded into a thousand pieces. With Facebook gate’s hangover still topical, a bug is now appearing on the iPhone. That allows anyone to access chat service messages even when their iPhone is locked. All you have to do is ask Siri to read the messages… it’s that simple.
A bug from Siri lets you read your WhatsApp messages with your iPhone locked
Note that iOS11 displays a preview of the messages on the main screen as they appear. So that no one can read them there is an option to hide the content and maintain discretion, showing only the anonymized notification. Simply unlock your mobile phone to make this information visible.
But Siri doesn’t seem to recognize the lock status of the iPhone (or skips it without asking for authentication) and proceeds to cheerfully read messages from WhatsApp and other messaging services (Telegram and Skype) just by asking. Well, all except the ones from Apple’s own Messaging app.
The bug exists in iOS 11.2.6 and iOS 11.3 beta and has been reported to Apple, so it is expected that they will soon fix this security hole. With other flaws, they’re taking it slower.