Oligo Securities has discovered as many as 23 vulnerabilities within AirPlay, which could potentially affect over 1.8 billion Apple device users worldwide. Not just iPhones, but these vulnerabilities also affect millions of iPad and Mac users. Similarly, they are present in CarPlay, a technology that allows users to connect their iPhones with cars for navigation, calling, and music streaming. These vulnerabilities have also been reported in the National Vulnerability Database.
AirPlay is a technology that lets users stream content from their iPhone/iPad/Mac to an external monitor or a television wirelessly. Among the 23 vulnerabilities, two allow hackers to infect a device with malware that can spread to other devices connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
The security firm has named these vulnerabilities “Airborne,” as they can affect all devices connected to the same wireless network and enable hackers to carry out sophisticated attacks such as espionage or ransomware and will also allow cyber criminals to do remote code execution attacks on almost any device, and can access data from all the connected devices.
Once infected, hackers can collect personal data and even gain access to calls and media. This could lead to financial losses and affect iPhone users globally, including those using older models as well as the latest ones. The same also applies to Mac and iPad users.
However, if you’re already on the latest iOS, Apple has patched these vulnerabilities with the release of iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 towards the end of April. If you haven’t updated your device yet, now is a good time to do so.
As a precaution, consider turning off AirPlay when not in use and always connect to trusted Wi-Fi networks to ensure your device and its contents remain private and secure. This report reinforces the importance of installing all the latest updates and security patches released by the device manufacturer.
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