New iOS Text Bomb Bug Can Crash Your iPhone
A new texting bug is crashing iPhones.
Angela Lang/CNET
Strings of texts that cause iPhones and iOS devices to crash isn’t a new problem, but a new one has appeared in 2020. After several bugs annoyed iOS users in the last decade, a new string of text using Sindhi characters has seemingly been discovered that, when sent to an iOS device in a notification, it will cause the device to freeze, requiring a hard reset to return it to normal.
Whereas a few prior text bugs were spread largely through the Messages app, as detailed in a Twitter video by popular YouTuber EverythingApplePro, this bug can take down an iOS device by just being sent a notification with the particular characters inside.
As he demonstrated the effects of the bug in his video, EverythingApplePro says that posting the text on Twitter inadvertently took down “several hundred peoples’ phones,” showing its reach beyond messaging apps.
Similar texting strings, also known as “text-bombs,” were found in 2018, 2017 and 2015, when they crashed iPhones and iOS devices when viewed.
If you are sent this text, or come across it on social media, EverythingApplePro says that by holding volume up, then volume down then the side button will hard reset your iPhone and turn it back to normal.
The good news, as 9to5Mac notes, is that Apple’s forthcoming iOS 13.4.5 is reportedly not impacted by this bug. That update is currently in beta and could be released soon. The iPhone-maker may similarly release a smaller interim update just to fix the issue.
Those worried can also turn off notifications to help mitigate the risks of being hit.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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