Macs Are At Risk Of The “Text Bomb”

Mac computers are undeniably expensive but definitely superior too. Apple has invested a lot in it over the years and it has garnered many of the most loyal Mac computer users for several decades now. Most Mac users did not switch to Windows PC even if their Mac line has not seen significant improvements in its hardware during the past few years while Microsoft has thrown in a lot of upgrades to a variety of Window PCs especially with the arrival of Windows 10. Despite the relative hiatus in Mac development, the fact that very few bugs and malware affect the Mac line is one factor why Mac users remain loyal to Apple computers over the passing of time.

Unfortunately, things have significantly changed and many online bugs are now affecting Apple PCs and devices. As if the existence of Meltdown and Specter is not enough of worry for all of us who live and breathe technology, we now have “text bomb” that threatens your device and the security of your data simply by just opening a single message. The good thing is that it’s not really directed as a threat but more of a wake-up call for the tech giant to beef up its cybersecurity defenses or risk angering millions of their consumers from bugs that can cost them thousands of dollars and not to mention the inconvenience of having no working device for days on end until the problem has been fixed by an expert.

A so-called text bomb bug that can crash an iPhone with a single message has been discovered by a security researcher.

Software developer Abraham Masri revealed that sending a message containing a link to the bug's code was enough to crash an iPhone or Mac computer, and in some cases cause it to restart.

Masri initially posted a link to the code on programming site GitHub but has since removed it, saying: "I made my point. Apple need to take such bugs more seriously."

He had reported the bug to Apple before releasing it online, but its removal means malicious messages can no longer be sent linking to it.

(Via: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/text-bomb-bug-hits-iphone-mac-computer)

This issue may seem petty for some but it is actually capable of stealing your personal data. And knowing how most things have gone digital these days, you have a lot to lose since most of your transactions are now done online. Even businesses and government offices have their files in the digital format for fast and easy transactions. Hence, the risks have increased and hackers found the World Wide Web a great place to build their fortune. Even Macs that have remained invincible for years are now the target of countless bugs and malware that is sure making life difficult for everyone at Apple.

Renowned security expert Graham Cluley said the newly discovered bug did not represent a major security threat. Instead, he said the "text bomb" was merely an annoyance to Apple consumers.

"Something about the so-called ChaiOS bug's code gives your Apple device a brainstorm," he said in a blog post published late Tuesday.

"Nasty. But, thankfully, more of a nuisance than something that will lead to data being stolen from your computer or a malicious hacker being able to access your files," he added.

Late last year, Apple was scrambling to fix another glitch. The tech behemoth apologized to consumers in November after users of its latest Mac operating system were able to gain entry to the computer without the use of a password.

(Via: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/18/apples-latest-security-flaw-is-a-text-bomb.html)

Security is fundamental to everyone who is using the web especially on a daily basis like the majority of us who can’t live without going online every day because of our #FOMO and undeniable addiction to our smartphones and social media. Apple devices are no longer fool-proof as we used to think it is but is just as vulnerable as any device out there. Just don’t be surprised if you see a rise in complaints from Mac users as we are already starting to see now because there are definitely more to come as hackers give Apple a hard time over the past few months. Services such as https://www.harddriverecovery.org/mac-data-recovery/ will likely increase as users struggle to salvage their precious data and big servers will also do the same thing https://www.harddriverecovery.org/raid-data-recovery.html in order to save and protect the data of all users in the network. At least, Apple still has time to improve their existing security measures to discourage criminals from their endless attempts at sabotaging the company and their services.

The blog post Macs Are At Risk Of The “Text Bomb” was originally seen on Hard Drive Recovery Group

source https://www.harddriverecovery.org/blog/macs-are-at-risk-of-the-text-bomb/