Now-Fixed AirDrop Bug Let Anyone Lock-Up Nearby iPhones With Flood of Files

There was a serious AirDrop bug in iOS 13.2.3 that let attackers overwhelm nearby iPhones with files, causing them to lock up, reports TechCrunch. Apple addressed the bug in the iOS 13.3 update, and the details of how it works are now public.

AirDrop is designed to allow users to share files with one another, and depending on settings, it can be restricted to contacts, no one, or any nearby iPhone. Kishan Bagaria discovered the AirDrop bug in iOS 13.2.3, finding that he could lock up nearby iPhones that were able to accept files by flooding them with multiple files in a row.

airdropbug
When receiving an AirDrop file, an ‌iPhone‌ or iPad blocks the display until the incoming request is accepted or rejected. iOS did not limit the number of requests that a device can accept, so with repeated message requests, an attacker was able to send files over and over again to cause the iOS device to get stuck in a loop.

Devices with AirDrop set to "Everyone" were primarily vulnerable to the attack, which is not the default AirDrop setting. AirDrop is limited to Contacts, and the "Everyone" setting must be manually enabled.

As of now, though, the bug no longer works and Apple has limited the number of AirDrop messages that can be sent to an iOS device in quick succession. Given that this wasn't a traditional security vulnerability, Apple will not provide a common vulnerability and CVE score, but has instead acknowledged it in a separate section of the security support document.

Tag: AirDrop

Top Rated Comments

SVTmaniac Avatar
52 months ago
I don't know if I'd call it serious. More of an inconvenience if anything. First off you'd have to be dumb enough to leave your airdrop set to everyone and then someone would have to know about the bug to send files that basically annoy you more than anything. Not like they get data off your phone or cause it to brick.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nabby Avatar
52 months ago

Shoot now I can’t mess with people in public like I use to do
This is how my teenage son passes the time while waiting in pubic...He will look for "open" AirDrop iPhones and send a picture of a fish. He doesn't flood the phone, just sends it once, and then looks to see who might have noticed. He now has learned to change is phone name when someone saw the picture was from "Joe's iPhone" and called out "Joe" looking for who might respond.:)

It's amazing the number of people you find who have AirDrop wide open at a place like Disney. :rolleyes:
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jimmy Bubbles Avatar
52 months ago
Looks like the old concept of IM-bombs hasn't died, only reincarnated. haha!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacBH928 Avatar
52 months ago
ahh...the old Windows 98 pop-up trick, strikes again.

Airdrop is great technology, I wish more people used it. I hardly hear anyone does especially that it is Apple only.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
roguedaemon Avatar
52 months ago
Here’s a suggestion; make the AirDrop dialogue more versatile.
It’s just that one popover layer that forces you to interact with it.
That’s ok I guess, But if you get sent multiple files, which one gets priority?

I propose a new dialog which appears at the top of the screen like a normal notification. Once interacted with, it would show you all incoming connections, what they are and whether you want to accept or reject each transfer. More complicated but I think if done in the Apple way would be simple and useable.

What do you lads and ladies think?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DeepIn2U Avatar
52 months ago

Shoot now I can’t mess with people in public like I use to do
LOL ... reminds me of 'bluetooth wardriving' way back in 2002. Go Transit .... key up a message on my Ericsson "Evening ... if you receive this message bring it to the driver for a month of free travel anywhere in the GTA" LMAO ... some cat in 1mins jump up and spoke to the driver for a lengthy 20mins LMAO! Nowadays kids would fled you with eggplant emoji (yet not the vegetable nor the emoji) :( fine lines between tom foolery vs harassment.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

apple card 1

Apple Ending Apple Card Partnership With Goldman Sachs

Tuesday November 28, 2023 3:09 pm PST by
Apple is ending its credit card partnership with Goldman Sachs, according to The Wall Street Journal. Apple plans to stop working with Goldman Sachs in the next 12 to 15 months, and it is not yet clear if Apple has established a new partnership for the Apple Card. Apple and Goldman Sachs will dissolve their entire consumer partnership, including the Apple Card and the Apple Savings account....
iOS 17

Everything New in iOS 17.2 Beta 4

Tuesday November 28, 2023 12:18 pm PST by
Apple is wrapping up development on iOS 17.2, with the update expected to come out in December. While we're getting to the end of the beta testing period, Apple is still tweaking features and adding new functionality. We've rounded up everything new in the fourth beta of iOS 17.2. Default Notification Sound Under Sounds & Haptics, there's a new "Default Alerts" section that allows you to ...
ios 17 namedrop

Police Departments and News Sites Spreading Misinformation About How iOS 17 NameDrop Feature Works

Monday November 27, 2023 5:11 pm PST by
Apple with iOS 17.1 and watchOS 10.1 introduced a new NameDrop feature that is designed to allow users to place Apple devices near one another to quickly exchange contact information. Sharing contact information is done with explicit user permission, but some news organizations and police departments have been spreading misinformation about how NameDrop functions. As noted by The Washington...
All New CarPlay Five New Features Article 2

What to Expect From All-New CarPlay, Still Listed as Coming 'Late 2023'

Tuesday November 28, 2023 7:44 am PST by
At WWDC in June 2022, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, promising deeper integration with vehicle functions like A/C and FM radio, support for multiple displays across the dashboard, increased personalization, and more. Apple's website still says the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience will be announced in "late 2023," but it has not shared...
iOS 17

iOS 17.1.2 Update for iPhone Likely to Be Released This Week

Monday November 27, 2023 8:24 am PST by
Apple will likely release iOS 17.1.2 this week, based on mounting evidence of the software in our website's analytics logs in recent days. As a minor update, iOS 17.1.2 should be focused on bug fixes, but it's unclear exactly which issues might be addressed. Some users have continued to experience Wi-Fi issues on iOS 17.1.1, so perhaps iOS 17.1.2 will include the same fix for Wi-Fi...
Apple 5G Modem Feature Triad

Apple to Discontinue Custom 5G Modem Development, Claim Reports

Wednesday November 29, 2023 4:19 am PST by
Apple is discontinuing in-house modem development after several unsuccessful attempts to perfect its own custom 5G modem chip, according to unconfirmed reports coming out of Asia. According to the operator of news aggregator account "yeux1122" on the Naver blog, supply chain sources related to Apple's 5G modem departments claim that the company's attempts to develop its own modem have...
Apple Logo

Apple Discontinued These 5 Products This Year

Monday November 27, 2023 7:03 am PST by
As the end of 2023 nears, now is a good opportunity to look back at some of the devices and accessories that Apple discontinued throughout the year. Apple products discontinued in 2023 include the iPhone 13 mini, 13-inch MacBook Pro, MagSafe Battery Pack, MagSafe Duo Charger, and leather accessories. Also check out our lists of Apple products discontinued in 2022 and 2021. iPhone Mini ...
Google Drive

Some Google Drive Users' Files Have Mysteriously Vanished

Tuesday November 28, 2023 3:55 am PST by
Google Drive users have been warned not to disconnect their account within the Google Drive for desktop app, after a spate of reports of files going missing from the cloud service. Alarm bells began ringing last week on Google's community support site when some users reported files mysteriously disappearing from Google Drive, with some posters claiming six or more months of data had...