Apple rolls out iOS 6.1.3 to solve lockscreen vulnerability
It was expected that the iOS 6.1.2 update would have solved this issue, but users had to wait another month for the resolution. Oh, and Apple Maps users in Japan are in for what seems to be a treat.
Apple has rolled out the iOS 6.1.3 update, which repairs the lockscreen bypass vulnerability on some iOS devices. Through a complex combination of button presses, hackers had shown they can bypass the password prompt an access the device’s call log, contact list, and photo albums. Also, this update mentions about “Improvement to Maps in Japan”.
The details of the bug and the fix have been simply mentioned in the release notes as “A logic issue existed in the handling of emergency calls from the lock screen. This issue was addressed through improved lock state management.”
From what we are hearing about the Japan specific Maps update, turn by turn navigation, pronunciation of the directions and 3D imagery of the maps is being improved for the local region. No further details are available for this update, and whether the maps for other countries will also get performance updates anytime soon.
The issue first came to light in Feb, and the subsequent iOS 6.1.2 update was expected to solve it, but that focussed on the Microsoft Exchange battery drain bug instead. At that time, Apple had acknowledged the issue, and released a statement which said, “Apple takes user security very seriously. We are aware of this issue and will deliver a fix in a future software update.”
You can download this update directly on the device. According to the company, the iOS 6.1.3 update is available for the iPhone 3GS and later, iPod touch (4th generation) and later, iPad 2 and later.
Source: Apple