iPad 2 smart cover found to 'bypass' passwords
After Siri, the Apple iPad 2âs âSmart Cover" has been found to pose a potential threat to the security of the popular tablet computer, an Apple enthusiast site reported. The security flaw allows anyone with a âSmart Cover" to bypass even a password-protected iPad 2, 9to5mac.com said in a blog post. âNow, a real iOS security flaw has emerged, and anyone with a Smart Cover can break into your âpassword-protectedâ iPad 2. This issue occurs in iOS 5, but weâre hearing uncorroborated reports of it also working in earlier versions of iOS 4.3," it said. The discovery was publicized days after it was bared that Siri, the personal assistant in Appleâs new iPhone 4S, can allow access to iPhone functions even if the iPhone is locked. However, 9to5mac.com said the problem with Siri was more of an indented feature since the iPhone 4Sâ user settings can prevent Siri from giving access to a locked iPhone. A demo video posted on the site showed that while a person unlocks your the iPad 2 will not have complete access to the iPad, he or she will be able to gain entrance to whatever the user locked his or her iPad 2 on. âIf your iPad 2 went to sleep in Mail, Safari, Messages, Contacts, or Maps, you can imagine the sorts of personal information that can be viewed on your iPad. If you left your iPad 2 on its Home screen, the person can view which applications you have on your device, control media from the multitasking bar, but not much else," it said. The site said users can recreate the scenario with the following steps:
- Lock a password protected iPad 2
- Hold down power button until iPad 2 reaches turn off slider
- Close Smart Cover
- Open Smart Cover
- Click cancel on the bottom of the screen