New FaceTime Bug in Iphone Lets Callers Hear and See You Without You Picking Up

A jaw-dropping unpatched privacy bug has been uncovered in Apple's popular video and audio call app FaceTime that could let the caller hear or see you before you even pick up their call. This bug is going viral on social medias with the complaints of a large number of apple users about the privacy issue they are facing. This bug can turn on any iphone into an eavesdropping device without the knowledge of user. The Hacker News tested the bug on iPhone X running the latest iOS 12.1.2 and confirm that it works. It can also able to replicate the bug by making a FaceTime call to a MacBook running macOS Mojave.

The main reason of this issue is not associated with the designing or logical flaw but the technical vulnerability that resides in the newly launched Group FaceTime features.

Here’s how one can reproduce the bug:

1. Start a FaceTime Video call with any iPhone contact.

2. While your call is dialing, swipe up from the bottom of your iPhone screen and tap 'Add Person.'

3. You can add your own phone number in the 'Add Person' screen.

This will start a group FaceTime call including yourself and the person you first called, whose audio you will able to listen in even if they hasn't accepted the call yet. It is also reported that if the person you first called presses the volume down button or the power button to silence or dismiss the call, his/her iPhone camera will also turn on without knowing. This will broadcast the video from their iPhone, while their iPhone screen still displays the incoming call screen.

When this reached out to Apple, the company responded to media that they are aware of the issue, and identified a fix that will be released in a software update later this week. Apple has also "temporarily" disabled the group calling feature within FaceTime while it works on a more permanent fix to address the bug this week. So until the company releases a fix, users can also disable the FaceTime video calling feature on their iPhone, iPad or MacBook.

How to turn OFF FaceTime on your iPhone and Mac
To disable FaceTime:

1.On iPhone or iPad, just head on to Settings, scroll down to find 'FaceTime' icon and tap the toggle button to switch the feature off.

2.On Mac, open FaceTime app on your Mac, click on FaceTime at the top left corner in the menu bar and then click 'Turn off FaceTime'.

If you own an Apple device, you should immediately turn OFF FaceTime app for a few days.