New iMessage hack lets you crash friends’ iPhones via text message

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iPhone
It's really easy to crash other people's iPhones.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

A new nefarious text message has been discovered that has the power to completely crash iPhones, even those running the latest version of iOS 10.

Instead of using infected links or weird text like previous iMessage hacks, this new one allows attackers to disable a person’s Messages app by simply sending a large contact file. When iPhone users tap on the file, it’s so big and complicated that it overloads the CPU and crashes the app.

Watch the hack in action:

iPhone and iPad users on iOS 8 to iOS 10.2.1 are vulnerable to the attack. The worst part of the hack is that it’s impossible to fix unless you know exactly what to do. Rebooting your iPhone or quitting the Messages app won’t resolve the problem.

The new iMessage hack was created by Vincedes, who also developed a solution to fix iPhones that have been attacked.

Obviously, it’s a pretty dick move to send your friend a contact file that makes it impossible for them to text. But if you are that type of friend, here’s how to execute the hack and fix it.

1 – Download the contact file here.
2 – Upload it to iCloud Drive or Dropbox.
3 – Share the file by sending it to your victim via iMessage.
4 – Wait for the victim to tap on it and their Message app will freeze.
5 – Fix the app by visiting this link.

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