Apple Fixed iOS 11.2 Vulnerability That Allowed Unauthorized Access to HomeKit Devices

A HomeKit vulnerability in iOS 11.2 that allowed unauthorized access to HomeKit accessories that included smart locks has been fixed by Apple, the company told 9to5Mac in a statement today.

homekit

"The issue affecting HomeKit users running iOS 11.2 has been fixed. The fix temporarily disables remote access to shared users, which will be restored in a software update early next week."

To patch the vulnerability, which was reportedly difficult to reproduce, Apple disabled remote access for shared users, something the company says will be reintroduced in a software update that's set to be released early next week.

Apple was able to address the vulnerability server side as it affected the HomeKit framework rather than individual HomeKit products. Though the vulnerability impacted all HomeKit devices, it is of particular interest to HomeKit users with smart locks and other HomeKit-enabled devices that allow access to the home, as someone able to exploit this kind of problem could gain entry to a dwelling without a physical key.

9to5Mac says that Apple was first informed about the security issue and other related HomeKit vulnerabilities in October. Some of the problems were addressed in iOS 11.2 and watchOS 4.2, while the rest were fixed server side. HomeKit setups with at least one connected iPhone or iPad running iOS 11.2 and signed into a HomeKit user's iCloud account were impacted.

Since its launch in 2014, HomeKit has seen many major improvements and its adoption has grown steadily. A wide range of manufacturers have embraced HomeKit, and there are HomeKit lights, outlets, switches, thermostats, window coverings, fans, sensors, cameras, locks, and garage door openers.

August, Friday, Koogeek, Kwikset, Schlage, and Yale all make HomeKit-enabled smart locks that can be controlled via Siri voice commands and HomeKit apps.

Related Forum: iOS 11

Popular Stories

Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect

Sunday July 13, 2025 10:30 am PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

Here's When to Expect the iOS 26 Public Beta

Tuesday July 15, 2025 11:07 am PDT by
Apple previously announced that a public beta of iOS 26 would be available in July, and now a more specific timeframe has surfaced. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said that Apple's public betas should be released on or around Wednesday, July 23. In other words, expect the public betas of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and more to be available at some point next week. Apple will be releasing...
iPhone 17 Colors

All 15 New iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Colors Revealed in Latest Leak

Wednesday July 16, 2025 6:50 am PDT by
We may finally have a definitive list of all color options for the iPhone 17 series, ahead of the devices launching in September. MacRumors concept In a report for Macworld today, Filipe Espósito said he obtained an "internal document" that allegedly reveals all of the color options for the upcoming iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max models. The report includes ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 16 New Features

Friday July 11, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
Apple Hornsby

Apple Store Near Sydney Permanently Closing Later This Year

Monday July 14, 2025 6:14 pm PDT by
Apple today said its store at the Westfield Hornsby shopping mall, in Hornsby, Australia, will be permanently closing in October. Apple Hornsby In a statement shared with Australian tech news website EFTM (via Reddit), Apple said that it has decided not to renew its lease at Westfield Hornsby. Apple said all affected retail employees will be given the opportunity to work at Apple's nearby...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...

Top Rated Comments

Wackery Avatar
99 months ago
apple software used to have a reputation
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ideal.dreams Avatar
99 months ago
Does Apple even have a quality assurance department at this point? The latest releases of iOS and macOS are downright embarrassing.

We share remote access in our family to access all of our HomeKit smart devices and now we're all unable to control our items until sometime next week. Absolutely ridiculous.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacFather Avatar
99 months ago
Deleted.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alexhardaker Avatar
99 months ago
I miss Forstall.
I do too. He should have stayed at Apple and not got asked to leave. It really does show
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
calzon65 Avatar
99 months ago
Apple's policy to rush out new versions of IOS each year is pathetic. Their quality control is complete garbage and before someone says, well IOS is a complex operating system having to support both current and many legacy devices ... I don't give a damn.

Apple used to stand for quality, but IOS has become a bloated operating system where the hype is always about new emojis. Apple needs to get off the annual release of major IOS versions and concentrate on efficiency and bug fixes.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iLoveDeveloping Avatar
99 months ago
IT JUST WORKS.


Makes me sick!
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)