Major iPhone hole? It can send anonymous network messages

[JustPassingBy]

Long time reader, first time poster. I just saw this on the 4chan tech board (yes, I know it sucks). Turns out you can send messages from iPhones to other iPhones or Windows Mobile phones using a special code, so that they come up as network messages, without being stored or showing the number.

Is this genuinely new? I've tried it myself (UK) and it works.

 

[TheSpaz]

Long time reader, first time poster. I just saw this on the 4chan tech board (yes, I know it sucks). Turns out you can send messages from iPhones to other iPhones or Windows Mobile phones using a special code, so that they come up as network messages, without being stored or showing the number.

Is this genuinely new? I've tried it myself (UK) and it works.

That's just a flash-sms... nothing new.

 

[JustPassingBy]

That's just a flash-sms... nothing new.

But a flash SMS should be stored amongst the other messages and leave a trace of the number, shouldn't it? With this system, the message isn't stored and you have no idea where it has come from. I can see people using this for practical jokes and perhaps more sinister purposes...

 

[gr8whtd0pe]

Long time reader, first time poster. I just saw this on the 4chan tech board (yes, I know it sucks). Turns out you can send messages from iPhones to other iPhones or Windows Mobile phones using a special code, so that they come up as network messages, without being stored or showing the number.

Is this genuinely new? I've tried it myself (UK) and it works.

not that 4chan is ever wrong but how would you choose what number to send it to? The "instructions" just say *go(message here). Sounds like the old net send back in the windows 2k days that sent it to the whole network... and btw, if you do this, chances are yes the carrier will track it back to you. peirod.

 

[nickspohn]

Doesn't work.

 

[Small White Car]

Doesn't work.

Well, given that it only work on the U.K. carrier, that's not too surprising.

Also, that implies this has more to do with the carrier than the iPhone itself, so the question is, why do they support this? I can't answer that one.

 

[JustPassingBy]

I've tested it with my iPhone and a friend's, both 2.2.1 firmware, not jailbroken. The network messages come up, don't appear to be saved anywhere, and don't display a number.

The reason I'm curious is how this could be abused. Imagine what'd happen if you sent 'DATA LOSS: PLEASE CONTACT YOUR APPLE SERVICE CENTRE' to an iPhone user that wasn't super clued-up on tech. When they see a big message like that pop up over their programs, and it doesn't look remotely like a normal text message, they're going to panic! I know I would.

I just sent 'iphone haxed lol' to a friend using this method and he called me immediately, asking if I'd got the same 'on screen warning'. He was pretty relieved when I told him the truth ;-)

 

[instaxgirl]

Someone just posted about this a few days ago.

 

[Moi un Mouton]

*go is the O2 way to send this in the UK. It's a Flash SMS, as stated, and this is the iPhone's way of displaying them.

If you're not sending from O2 then there are other codes that allow you to send similar messages, just hunt around for Flash SMS.

It's the way the networks send you onscreen messages like "Your balance is £xxx"

As April Fools Day is fast approaching this seems like a good thing to know

PS If you receive one of these on O2 then you can check your Bluebook to see who sent it

 

[question fear]

There was a thread about this a few days ago. This thread is where the codes are mentioned for UK carriers. There's no mention of what the code is, if any, for AT&T.