New iOS Bug Crashing iPhones Simply by Receiving a Text Message [Includes Fix]

[Germtrol]

How to fix

You can get imessages working again with the steps such as sending your self a text using siri, etc., however, if the text still shows in a previous text, you can still activate the bug by simply scrolling down to a previous text that shows the text. Here's the work around (WARNING: you will lose all/most of your recent texts).

1. Go to settings-messages
2. Scroll down to Message History, and choose Keep Messages for 30 days.
3. Choose Delete when asked to Delete Older Messages.
4. Back out and go to General-Date & Time.
5. Turn off Set Automatically (if turned on). Set Date to at least 31 days into the future.
6. Back out and go back to settings-messages.
7. Scroll down to Message History, and choose Keep Messages for 30 days (again).
8. Again, Choose Delete when asked to Delete Older Messages.

At this point, any messages within the last 30 days that had the text causing the bug will be deleted. You can now return all of your settings back to their original settings (Message History, Time & Date, etc.)

 

[duffman9000]

But also, keep in mind that they were right. And if you decline to help, you're just proving it.

All true, but it's an epic trolling opportunity. If I were younger I wouldn't be able to resist.

 

[name99]

Bugs happen. Hopefully it doesn't allow for anything beyond just (like an exploit or some sort of corruption). And hopefully Apple will address it soon.

This is completely the wrong attitude. This **** is unacceptable in 2015.
I love Apple, but their software development process (unlike hardware, unlike operations, unlike design) is STILL amateur hour, doing things the way they were done in the 1980s.

How could a bug like this even happen?
- are they using the full static analyzers that LLVM offers?
- are they using fuzzing against the app and every API in it?
- are they using appropriate containers?

I'm guessing that the answer to every one of these questions is no.
Some ******** thought it was more important to show how macho he is by using raw C arrays and manual memory management than to use C++ containers or (even better) Objective-C containers.
Then when the static analyzers complained that there were bugs in the code path, he decided the analyzers didn't know what they were talking about.
And of course, people who write code in this way NEVER allow it to be fuzzed against, just like they fight tooth and nail against pair programming, or code reviews, or anything else that might let others see into their incompetence.

And the most rabid Apple fans ENABLE this by making constant excuses for Apple's lousy software performance. Software does not HAVE to be riddled with bugs and constantly failing. It's only that way when management allows it, and when the programmers involved are uninterested in adopting the most successful and powerful modern methodologies.

 

[stulowe2009]

Seems the shorter رً ॣ ॣ ॣ string can be quite a nuisance for iOS users if it is set as wifi hotspot name nearby. It basically prevents users from accessing the wifi selection page in the settings. Quick video demo here:

 

[C DM]

This is completely the wrong attitude. This **** is unacceptable in 2015.
I love Apple, but their software development process (unlike hardware, unlike operations, unlike design) is STILL amateur hour, doing things the way they were done in the 1980s.

How could a bug like this even happen?
- are they using the full static analyzers that LLVM offers?
- are they using fuzzing against the app and every API in it?
- are they using appropriate containers?

I'm guessing that the answer to every one of these questions is no.
Some ******** thought it was more important to show how macho he is by using raw C arrays and manual memory management than to use C++ containers or (even better) Objective-C containers.
Then when the static analyzers complained that there were bugs in the code path, he decided the analyzers didn't know what they were talking about.
And of course, people who write code in this way NEVER allow it to be fuzzed against, just like they fight tooth and nail against pair programming, or code reviews, or anything else that might let others see into their incompetence.

And the most rabid Apple fans ENABLE this by making constant excuses for Apple's lousy software performance. Software does not HAVE to be riddled with bugs and constantly failing. It's only that way when management allows it, and when the programmers involved are uninterested in adopting the most successful and powerful modern methodologies.

And yet bugs of all kinds still happen in all kinds of software with all kinds of companies. That's the simple reality, no matter what the utopian view of it all might be.

 

[luisfelipesv]

Crash with Notification Center

I noted that the bug for me was because the characters were in the notification center, as people send to me via whatsapp, when I turn off the message preview on whatsapp, I became sort of inmune to that message (only on whatsapp), soy maybe a fix for some people could be that or delete all of their notifications.

Also I have friend that now can't use his iPhone, it just restarts and restarts by itself having no time to change things on the iPhone.

 

[whooleytoo]

This could be fun.

Person A: Careful! Look out for text messages containing "..."
Person B: WTF? What did you do? Why did you send me a text message containing "..."?
Person A: ??? I tried to warn you, and that's the thanks I get? Have some "..."!!

 

[mantan]

This could be fun.

Person A: Careful! Look out for text messages containing "..."
Person B: WTF? What did you do? Why did you send me a text message containing "..."?
Person A: ??? I tried to warn you, and that's the thanks I get? Have some "..."!!

That would be 'fun' to someone under the age of 17. For everybody else, it's a dick move.

 

[sn]

Has anyone tried resetting the iPhone? Would that help? I cannot fix that problem.

----------

This is freaking annoying. Can somebody send this to Tim or Angela so that the bug will be fixed ASAP?

I can't imagine Tim isn't aware of this already. And, as for Angela, I don't think this falls within her remit?

 

[ALMF]

You can get imessages working again with the steps such as sending your self a text using siri, etc., however, if the text still shows in a previous text, you can still activate the bug by simply scrolling down to a previous text that shows the text. Here's the work around (WARNING: you will lose all/most of your recent texts).

1. Go to settings-messages
2. Scroll down to Message History, and choose Keep Messages for 30 days.
3. Choose Delete when asked to Delete Older Messages.
4. Back out and go to General-Date & Time.
5. Turn off Set Automatically (if turned on). Set Date to at least 31 days into the future.
6. Back out and go back to settings-messages.
7. Scroll down to Message History, and choose Keep Messages for 30 days (again).
8. Again, Choose Delete when asked to Delete Older Messages.

At this point, any messages within the last 30 days that had the text causing the bug will be deleted. You can now return all of your settings back to their original settings (Message History, Time & Date, etc.)

thank you. this was the only fix that worked for me. I will restore from backup later to get my messages from a few days ago back

 

[sn]

How can a douchbag own an iPhone?

...

 

[cdm283813]

the police have better things to do.

That’s what I’m afraid off.

 

[chumps52]

All this message does to me is respring my phone (iPhone 5 iOS 8.3). I can still get on messages etc. afterwards with no issues whatsoever.

I've also tried it with different people with different devices. For some it has no effect whatsoever (just arrives as a normal iMessage), but for those it does it just has the same effect as it does for me; just resprings the phone.

 

[flaw600]

That will teach you. Send the same message to someone outside your family, and they might press criminal charges. And rightfully so.



Keep the above in mind. Sending a message with that text meets any definition of criminal hacking.

No, no it doesn't. Criminal charges for what, exactly? It's not hacking by any means. It's a prank. A) pranks rarely get prosecuted unless there's physical or financial harm in the matter. B) what statute would it fall under anyway C) more likely it'd be a civil suit if anything was pressed and I doubt any jury would care about a prank.

 

[xerenthar]

That will teach you. Send the same message to someone outside your family, and they might press criminal charges. And rightfully so.

hahahahah the no-fun police are here to try and tell you about the serious criminal charges this can incur. this is shortly after the "smoking just two marijuanas will turn you gay" seminar.

 

[Tech198]

i have not tried this yet. however i can see the fun in this if u were to mass send this to everyone in your contact with iPhones.

 

[sualpine]

This is completely the wrong attitude. This **** is unacceptable in 2015.
I love Apple, but their software development process (unlike hardware, unlike operations, unlike design) is STILL amateur hour, doing things the way they were done in the 1980s.

How could a bug like this even happen?
- are they using the full static analyzers that LLVM offers?
- are they using fuzzing against the app and every API in it?
- are they using appropriate containers?

I'm guessing that the answer to every one of these questions is no.
Some ******** thought it was more important to show how macho he is by using raw C arrays and manual memory management than to use C++ containers or (even better) Objective-C containers.
Then when the static analyzers complained that there were bugs in the code path, he decided the analyzers didn't know what they were talking about.
And of course, people who write code in this way NEVER allow it to be fuzzed against, just like they fight tooth and nail against pair programming, or code reviews, or anything else that might let others see into their incompetence.

And the most rabid Apple fans ENABLE this by making constant excuses for Apple's lousy software performance. Software does not HAVE to be riddled with bugs and constantly failing. It's only that way when management allows it, and when the programmers involved are uninterested in adopting the most successful and powerful modern methodologies.

Do something about it.

https://jobs.apple.com/us/search?#&ss=37245011&t=0&so=&lo=0*USA&pN=0

 

[kmil]

Crashes CarPlay as well.

 

[name99]

Do something about it.

https://jobs.apple.com/us/search?#&ss=37245011&t=0&so=&lo=0*USA&pN=0

I've done my time. I worked at Apple for 10 years during the 90s.
They treated me very well, I've no hatred for Apple; but I know whereof I speak. (Of course in the 12 years or so since then things COULD have changed --- but changing culture is hard and requires abrasive personalities who really want it to happen, and I have not seen any indication of that sort of thing within the company.)

 

[bawbac]

You can get imessages working again with the steps such as sending your self a text using siri, etc., however, if the text still shows in a previous text, you can still activate the bug by simply scrolling down to a previous text that shows the text. Here's the work around (WARNING: you will lose all/most of your recent texts).

1. Go to settings-messages
2. Scroll down to Message History, and choose Keep Messages for 30 days.
3. Choose Delete when asked to Delete Older Messages.
4. Back out and go to General-Date & Time.
5. Turn off Set Automatically (if turned on). Set Date to at least 31 days into the future.
6. Back out and go back to settings-messages.
7. Scroll down to Message History, and choose Keep Messages for 30 days (again).
8. Again, Choose Delete when asked to Delete Older Messages.

At this point, any messages within the last 30 days that had the text causing the bug will be deleted. You can now return all of your settings back to their original settings (Message History, Time & Date, etc.)

Glad people are joining MR just to help...

 

[Steve121178]

I'm amazed Apple hasn't pushed an emergency patch for this. What the hell are they doing?

 

[b0fh666]

black emojis

 

[Traverse]

Why would someone be silly enough to intentionally send this to see if it actually crashed their iOS device (or someone else's)? It's not like it's a common piece of text that anyone could run into. I don't get it.

Because causing frustration and inconvenience is "funny."

 

[AliMacs]

I'm amazed Apple hasn't pushed an emergency patch for this. What the hell are they doing?

dude, they are having lunch at a 3-michelin star restaurant eating kobe beef with a side of sturgeon caviar. To finish off their meal, they are serving the finest cristal in their rose gold plated champagne glasses with an apple logo at the bottom.

Why would they want to fix anything in a hurry - they are rich now...no time for peasant problems like these.

----------

And no android device is affected by this simple trick. Why is that?

 

[mindsaspire]

It is a mix of arabic, devanagari, some plain ASCII and a Chinese character. I'd guess the problem is combining right-to-left and left-to-right characters. Arabic and devanagari are more complicated anyway because the display of a character depends on which characters are to the left and the right of it.

Thanks for the info about how this is a mix of various languages. I wonder if whatever is doing the parsing is going into an infinite loop due to reading a specific character in one language that requires reading ahead to the character to its right, while reading the character to the right that's in a different language requires going back to the character to its left, and so on.