Skip to main content

Anyone with a Smart Cover can break into your iPad 2

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLgQ22naQhE]

Talk over an iPhone 4S security flaw regarding Siri working from the lock screen has made the rounds the past few days, but this “security flaw” is not so much a flaw, but an intended feature from Apple. In fact, Apple allows users to choose to turn off Siri from the lock screen in the iPhone 4S settings menu. Now, a real iOS security flaw has emerged, and anyone with a Smart Cover can break into your “password-protected” iPad 2. This issue occurs in iOS 5, but we’re hearing uncorroborated reports of it also working in earlier versions of iOS 4.3.

What the flaw allows:

As you can see in our video above, a Smart Cover can essentially unlock an iPad 2. The person who unlocks your iPad 2 will not have complete access to your iPad, but will be able to gain entry to whatever you locked your iPad 2 on. If your iPad 2 went to sleep in Mail, Safari, Messages, Contacts, or Maps, you can imagine the sorts of personal information that can be viewed on your iPad. If you left your iPad 2 on its home screen, the person can view which applications you have on your device, control media from the multitasking bar, but not much else.

How to re-create it:

1) Lock a password protected iPad 2

2) Hold down power button until iPad 2 reaches turn off slider

3) Close Smart Cover

4) Open Smart Cover

5) Click cancel on the bottom of the screen

Temporary solution is after the break:

We have discovered that you can temporarily fix this bug by disabling Smart Cover unlocking in the iPad 2 settings menu under the General tab.

We hope Apple moves to fix this bug as soon as possible. (via apfeltalk.de forums, thanks, @NiceHabbo)

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel