A popular iPhone hacker has discovered a way to permanently kill the Messages app of another iOS user.
The YouTuber Vincedes3 (EverythingApplePro) discovered that sending a vCard overloaded with code will crash the Messages app in iPhones running iOS 8 and up.
The vCard, which is traditionally used to exchange contact information with another user, features a whopping 14,281 lines of code and once tapped by the user renders the messages app useless (via Gizmodo).
Because the iPhone always tries to open the last received message first, attempting to reload the app doesn’t work.
Thankfully there is a way to redeem the situation if you’ve sent or received the harmful card, which Vincedes3 explains too.
He has provided a link in Safari that can restore messages functionality.
Alternately, you can send yourself a message and then open it with Siri in order to move the exploit down the list of messages received and thus rending the exploit ineffective.
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Have you experimented with this flaw? Share your experience in the comments below.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
