:lock:Apple Fixes Bug That Let Law Enforcement Extract Deleted Messages
Your iPhone's secret messages just got a little less secure
TL;DR
Apple released an update to fix a bug that allowed law enforcement to extract deleted or automatically disappeared messages from messaging apps. The issue was revealed by 404 Media earlier this month, and the FBI had been using forensic tools to extract deleted Signal messages.
Apple just dropped a software update on Wednesday that fixes a major security flaw in its messaging apps. The bug allowed law enforcement to extract deleted or automatically disappeared messages from apps like Signal. This was possible because notifications displaying message content were cached on the device for up to a month, even after the messages were deleted. Signal's president had asked Apple to address this issue, and it looks like they finally did. The fix suggests that retaining notifications' content was a bug all along.
Key Points
The bug was caused by notifications displaying message content being cached on the device for up to a month.
The issue was revealed by 404 Media earlier this month and affects iPhone and iPad owners running iOS 18 software.
The FBI had been able to extract deleted Signal messages from an iPhone using forensic tools, which is a major concern for at-risk users.
Apple backported the fix to iPhone and iPad owners running iOS 18 software, but it's unclear how many devices are affected.
Signal's security feature allows users to set up a timer for automatic message deletion after a set amount of time, but the FBI found a way around this.
Why It Matters
If you're an at-risk user who relies on Signal's security features, this update is a big deal. The bug allowed law enforcement to extract deleted messages, which could compromise your conversations. This fix suggests that retaining notifications' content was a bug all along, and it's unclear how many devices are affected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this matter?
If you're an at-risk user who relies on Signal's security features, this update is a big deal. The bug allowed law enforcement to extract deleted messages, which could compromise your conversations. This fix suggests that retaining notifications' content was a bug all along, and it's unclear how many devices are affected.
What happened?
Apple released an update to fix a bug that allowed law enforcement to extract deleted or automatically disappeared messages from messaging apps. The issue was revealed by 404 Media earlier this month, and the FBI had been using forensic tools to extract deleted Signal messages.
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