Vulnerable

Los Angeles, July 24: Security analysts claim to have discovered a potential flaw in the Apple iPhone that allows hackers to take control of the device remotely and obtain users’ personal details.

Writing on the website exploitingiphone.com, a team of researchers claimed it was able to hijack the iPhone through a wireless Internet connection or by tricking users into going to a website containing malicious code.

Since its high-profile launch in the US last month, the iPhone has been the target of attempts to crack its security systems to activate it remotely or enable the device to work on another network besides AT&T, with which Apple has an exclusive deal.

The discovery by staff at Independent Security Evaluators, an information security consulting firm, is believed to be the first such flaw found in the phone.

Owners of the popular device typically store large amounts of personal data on the handset because of its “smart phone” capabilities that include email and a Web browser.

The researchers claim to have overcome the iPhone’s defences by creating a wireless network and encryption method that mimicked one used by the phone.

The hackers say they then built a web page loaded with the malicious code that would pop up when the iPhone connected to the network, allowing them to gain control of the phone. Staff at ISE also said they could use a link sent in an email or text message to exploit the flaw.