A serious flaw in Apple’s FaceTime application has gone viral on social media. First discovered by 9to5Mac, the bug allows callers to hear audio from the recipient’s iOS device while the iPhone is still ringing, or even when the call has been declined.
Under some circumstances, the FaceTime bug also activates the receiving iPhone’s camera before the call has been answered, allowing callers to see what is happening at the other end without the receiver noticing.
The TechRadar team was able to replicate this bug – we used an iPhone X to call users with an iPhone 8 and an iPhone XS Max, but this bug can be activated on any Apple handset running iOS 12 or above, with MacRumors confirming the bug can be replicated on MacOS Mojave as well.
Image: Apple
Unfortunately, it’s surprisingly easy to eavesdrop on the caller. This is how it works: you video call another iPhone user via FaceTime, then swipe up to open the menu options before the call has been answered. Add your own number or Apple ID to call and FaceTime assumes a conference call has been initiated.
This automatically activates the receiver’s mic, giving you access to audio even if the handset is still ringing or if the call has been rejected by the person you are calling.
If the receiver happens to use the power button to decline the call, it activates the device’s camera, allowing you to watch what is happening at the other end.
This is, quite obviously, a massive privacy issue and Apple has confirmed in a statement that it is aware of the problem and will roll out a fix “later this week”.