Apple has finally released an update for iOS to fix a serious bug in group FaceTime. The bug allowed callers to spy on those they were calling, even if the intended recipient never answered. The update iOS 12.1.4 was made available for download since Feb. 7 shortly after two Congressional lawmakers publicly demanding answers from Apple CEO Tim Cook about the major privacy screw up.
According to Apple, the update is for all iPhones newer than the 5s, the iPad Air and later iPads, as well as the iPod touch 6th generation. It alleviates what the company describes as a "logic issue [that] existed in the handling of Group FaceTime calls."
The bug was discovered by a teenager in mid-January, burst into the public eye on January 28 and forced Apple to disable the group FaceTime service altogether. News of the vulnerability was met with shock by the security community, which correctly pointed out how big the bug really was.
And it turns out that the group FaceTime bug was only one of a few problems lurking under the surface. "In addition to addressing the bug that was reported, our team conducted a thorough security audit of the FaceTime service and made additional updates to both the FaceTime app and server to improve security", a statement from the Apple spokesman on February 7. "This includes a previously unidentified vulnerability in the Live Photos feature of FaceTime."
As per reports, Apple will compensate Grant Thompson, the teen who discovered the bug, as well as make some form of contribution to his future education.