Canadian crypto enthusiasts, particularly those in the Dogecoin community, are being urged to immediately update their Apple iOS devices. This urgent public service announcement comes in the wake of the discovery of a significant security vulnerability that exposes iPhones to potential compromise without user interaction.
At the forefront of this cybersecurity revelation is Citizen Lab, known for their thorough research in the digital safety realm. They came across this dangerous backdoor in Apple’s latest iOS version 16.6 while examining the device of an individual linked to a civil society organization based in Washington D.C.
Christened as the BLASTPASS exploit, this treacherous loophole involves malicious PassKit attachments delivered through iMessage. Its potency lies in its stealth, being able to deliver the NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware to a victim’s device without eliciting any interaction or clicks from the user.
In response to the detection of this exploit, Apple has released an update to counter the identified risk. Simultaneously, both Apple and Citizen Lab are urging iPhone users to activate ‘lockdown mode’, a security feature believed to effectively stonewall the BLASTPASS attack.
Outside the realm of Dogecoin, the reach of this discovery is far beyond just one crypto community. The overall iOS user base needs to be alert considering that cryptocurrency holders are frequently targeted for their digital holdings. Swift patching of such technological blind spots is essential to safeguard precious digital assets.
Patrick Lodder, a recognized name in the cryptocurrency community, emphasizes the lockdown mode’s significance while urging users to consider it as the default setting for their iPhone protection. This tech security hype underscores the importance of swift action and vigilance in the crypto world, reinforcing the adage, ‘Lockdown mode… the only mode’.
