iPhones, Macs and iPads vulnerable to the 'Ping of Death' flaw
Apple products have long had a reputation for tighter security. One of the most common reasons why users stick with Macs and iOS gadgets’ walled gardens was to get away from malware and other security threats that constantly bombard other platforms.
However, even iOS and macOS cannot escape the occasional bugs and security flaws that can affect just about any piece of software that exists. Software programmers have their work cut out for them as they try and plug any potential holes as quickly they are discovered.
This is why it’s necessary to install and update your gadgets with the latest versions of their operating systems. It’s one way to protect them from potential threats. Take this newly discovered Apple flaw, for example. It’s so fundamental and basic that even anti-malware software can’t protect your gadget from this attack.
The Ping of Death
Security researcher Kevin Backhouse recently disclosed a vulnerability that affects Macs, iPhones, and iPads. The flaw would have allowed an attacker to shut them down as long as they were connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
Based on Backhouse’s research, an attacker can send a small piece of code to the IP address of the target macOS or iOS device and crash them, all without user interaction.
For example, you can be connected to your local Starbucks’ public Wi-Fi network and an attacker who’s also connected can direct the malicious packet to your gadget to freeze it or shut it down.
This technique is commonly known as a “ping of death,” where an attacker sends a malicious IP packet that exceeds a certain size, which then causes a gadget’s memory buffer to overflow.
But this particular flaw goes beyond simply rebooting the affected gadgets, though. Apple also classified this flaw as a “remote code execution” bug. This means an attacker can also use this exploit to run malicious code on the affected gadgets.
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