Apple Offers Temporary Fix for iOS Text Bug, Says Update's Coming Soon

[MacRumors]

A couple days after a new iOS bug was discovered, allowing a select string of characters sent in an iMessage or text to reset iPhones and crash the Messages app, Apple has created a new support document to address the problem. The Cupertino company acknowledges the problem and says that it's working on a fix, offering temporary solutions in the mean time.

Apple is aware of an iMessage issue caused by a specific series of unicode characters and we will make a fix available in a software update. Until the update is available, you can use these steps to re-open the Messages app.

1. Ask Siri to "read unread messages."

2. Use Siri to reply to the malicious message. After you reply, you'll be able to open Messages again

3. In Messages, swipe left to delete the entire thread. Or tap and hold the malicious message, tap More, and delete the message from the thread.

In addition to Apple's suggestions, there are other possible fixes that have worked for MacRumors in other scenarios. For instance, if Messages was opened in conversation list view you can fix the issue by having someone send you a message or sending yourself a message via Siri or through the Share sheet in any app.


Article Link: Apple Offers Temporary Fix for iOS Text Bug, Says Update's Coming Soon

 

[ZacNicholson]

I've been having fun messing with people the past few days with this.

 

[autrefois]

Use Siri to reply to the malicious message.

Apple's official workaround to receiving a malicious message that crashes your phone is to reply to the person who sent it? Sounds like a great idea to me...

 

[alchemistmuffin]

The Cupertino company*acknowledges the problem and says that it's working on a fix, offering temporary solutions in the mean time.

The bad news though, the fix may not come until the next major iOS 8 update, which is the one currently in beta. This means no fix until AFTER WWDC keynote. And even then, Apple still has to seed a modified beta to devs and public beta users first to see if it fixes.

 

[AngerDanger]

I've found cutting a potato in half, rubbing one half all over my phone, and then burying the rest in my front lawn at night to be a fairly reliable fix.

 

[chineseguy38]

Message app keeps crashing when trying to open the app on iPad. And iPhone I can get into the app but when I try to scroll down the messages. It crashes. It has nothing to do with funny message thing. Anyone has the same issue?

 

[MICHAELSD]

Could somebody copy and paste the string of characters for this? Purely for science/entertainment...

Edit: Power لُلُصّبُلُلصّبُررً ॣ ॣh ॣ ॣ 冗

 

[pdjudd]

The bad news though, the fix may not come until the next major iOS 8 update, which is the one currently in beta. This means no fix until AFTER WWDC keynote. And even then, Apple still has to seed a modified beta to devs and public beta users first to see if it fixes.

Not necessarily. Apple in the past has dealt with emergency bug fixes (like this) mid beta cycle before. And don’t forget, there might still be one more big release before iOS 9.

They don't even need to seed anything externally. The bug fix is very specific they can do all tests internally since its very reliable to replicate. Again, they have done specific target fixes before.

My guess is that we will see a fix in a few days. It will be limited to this issue.

ETA and the fix described here does jack if your phone spontaneously reboots before you see the message - which happened to me twice today.

 

[Junipr]

"Hey Siri, fix this bug please" -Apple

 

[o2e]

This means no fix until AFTER WWDC keynote.

No, it doesn't.

 

[Zachari]

But it was so useful...

 

[mangomind]

But it was so useful...

But since a respring takes about only 10 seconds, it is actually not useful for that. It's a waste of time for the sender almost as much as the receiver.

 

[Tech198]

Thank goodness for Siri.

So, we'll see a slur of English mixes in with deliberate different language characters just "because it can crash my phone" even though they may not speak the language...

anyone NOT upgraded yet ?

 

[dtmpowerm5]

So annoying

I had to literally block two coworkers because they just kept sending this. It actually works out because now I will have to work less because when they call me after hours for work I wont get their call and have this great excuse!

 

[xplora]

This is probably why there has been no iOS 8.4 beta 4 this week, which has been timing in nicely with OS X 10.10.4 developer previews until this week.

 

[JPSaltzman]

"2. Use Siri to reply to the malicious message. "

I can think of an appropriate reply to this message, and the first word starts with "F" and the second starts with "Y."

And I hope the recipient gets the message.

 

[stulowe2009]

But as mentioned before it can do more than just an SMS or imessage crash.

Save the shorter version of the Unicode string as a contact card and send it over WhatsApp and it will kill WhatsApp and need you to uninstall the app and lose all conversations. Send the contact card over SMS and it screws up contacts and crashes the app.

Set the short version as a WiFi hotspot name and it causes all iOS devices nearby searching for WiFi to crash the settings app.

This does not solve the problem and is a worry that it could somehow be sent at a more system level app and cause more serious problems.

 

[caliguy]

LOL at the article photo. MR writers crashing each other's phones.

 

[seatton]

but it was so useful...

lol

 

[ttss6]

Some people have too much time on their hands. Sure this is a security concern, but who woulda thought to send a text with this specific nomenclature using 3 completely different languages

 

[macarter]

Can't believe none have discover this yet

This is the only text string that will crash iMessage " رً ॣ ॣ " the rest of the text is useless.

 

[00sjsl]

Some people have too much time on their hands. Sure this is a security concern, but who woulda thought to send a text with this specific nomenclature using 3 completely different languages

Some one familiar with unicode rendering and product testing, maybe. It seems like something that could be hand crafted, rather that found by chance.

 

[globalist]

Just wondering, does this bug also affect iOS versions prior to 8?

 

[stulowe2009]

Just wondering, does this bug also affect iOS versions prior to 8?

IOS 7 appears to be affected but iOS 6 is safe (if you ignore the other outstanding iOS 6 bugs)

 

[foobarbaz]

I've been having fun messing with people the past few days with this.

I'm glad I don't know you.