Latest iOS 14.7 Beta Patches Bug That Disables iPhone's Ability to Connect to Wi-Fi

The latest beta for iOS and iPadOS 14.7, released to developers this week, patches a bug that disabled an iPhone's ability to connect to Wi-Fi if a user connected to a specific Wi-Fi network with the name "%p%s%s%s%s%n."

ios wifi settings
In his latest video rounding up the latest changes in the beta, YouTuber Zollotech found that the update has silently patched the bug that caused an iPhone to become unable to connect to Wi-Fi networks.

The bug was discovered on Twitter last month and consisted of an ‌iPhone‌ connecting to a Wi-Fi SSID with the name "%p%s%s%s%s%n." According to user reports, doing so would "permanently disable" an ‌iPhone‌'s Wi-Fi functionality, making the bug rather dangerous.

While some have claimed the bug "permanently" disabled their ‌iPhone‌'s Wi-Fi, other users found that resetting their network settings after connecting to the network restored Wi-Fi for the ‌iPhone‌.

Apple has been testing iOS and iPadOS 14.7 with developers and public beta testers for the past few weeks. Apple can be expected to publicly release the update soon, given the crucial bug fix that it provides to ‌iPhone‌ user.

Last month, Apple previewed iOS 15, the next major update to iOS destined for a public launch this fall. The upcoming update to iOS 14 will likely be the last major update to the operating system ahead of iOS 15's fall release.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
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...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

Leaker Reveals Amount of RAM in iPhone 17 Through iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday July 9, 2025 8:08 am PDT by
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors. The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...

Top Rated Comments

CarlJ Avatar
52 months ago
Sigh. Never use data from external sources without sanitizing it first, and never hand arbitrary data to printf and friends as a template string - sure, it'll work most of the time... but then this.

This is not esoteric guru stuff, it's programming 101 (okay, maybe 201).
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DeepIn2U Avatar
52 months ago

COVID will never truly go away, just getting controlled. Just saying.

As for “dangerous”, if a mere resetting network setting could fix it, then it is not so “dangerous”. Inconvenient sure but “dangerous” is slightly over the board.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2021/07/06/apple-iphone-wifi-security-hack-ios-iphone-upgrade/?sh=4351967e2b86


The Increased Damage

The first development came via Carl Shou, the reverse engineer who initially discovered the hack ('https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2021/06/20/apple-iphone-warning-wifi-vulnerability-exploit-new-iphone-problem/'). Shou found that joining WiFi networks with specific symbols in their name (SSID) could disable any iPhone’s WiFi until the phone’s network settings were reset. Shou has subsequently managed to increase the damage this hack does ('https://twitter.com/vm_call/status/1411630091038203909'), with WiFi only being restored from a custom factory reset where the iPhone backup file is manually edited to remove malicious entries ('https://twitter.com/vm_call/status/1411753482437148683').


Fears had already been expressed ('https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2021/07/03/apple-iphone-security-warning-airborne-attack-threat-new-iphone-exploit/') that this hack - known as a format string flaw - could be amplified. The end game being to use it to inject and execute malicious code onto devices and even whole networks.

The Hidden Threat

The flip side to this escalating threat, was that iPhone owners would have to join a strangely named WiFi network to be hacked. But the second development suggests this may no longer be the case.
originally reported from above link:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2021/07/03/apple-iphone-security-warning-airborne-attack-threat-new-iphone-exploit/?sh=820e3d454ae9


Following revelations last month that all iPhones are vulnerable to a simple WiFi hack ('https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2021/06/20/apple-iphone-warning-wifi-vulnerability-exploit-new-iphone-problem/'), new research ('https://www.aireye.tech/post/the-apple-format-string-bug-from-a-silly-prank-to-an-airborne-attack') from Amichai Shulman, CTO of wireless security specialist AirEye, has claimed this type of threat is potentially more dangerous than was first reported and can also spread to macOS.


“Our response research on the format string flaw revealed that the vulnerability is not only restricted to the iOS operating system,” states Shulman. “It also has the potential to affect the macOS operating system used by many corporations for employee stations.”


“The nature of format string vulnerabilities is that when carefully crafted they can be used to write arbitrary code into random, or chosen, parts of a machine’s memory - and even eventually inject and execute code,” Shulman explains. “Since it is possible for the vulnerable iOS and macOS devices to be connected to the larger corporate network, this code can eventually be used for lateral movement even if it only stemmed from an employee accidentally joining an unknown SSID. Once the malicious code has infiltrated a device on the network, it can exploit corporate data without the need to ‘access the network first’ in the typical ways.”
I'd say it's dangerous enough for Apple to consider it important to patch.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
52 months ago
Hopefully it’s out in public next week.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
polyphenol Avatar
52 months ago
Saved! I really don't know how I have survived with that bug in 14.6.

Yes - I do realise some people might really have a problem but I suspect the other things in 14.7 are likely far more important to the majority.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
52 months ago

My setting will ASK if I want to join any unknown WIFI, so in theory, My phone should be save from this big … yes?
As long the phone prompts for a reply and you don't mess up the reply, you should be fine. The chances of you coming across a public WiFi name that messes up your phone is less than a percent, in my opinion.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Shirasaki Avatar
52 months ago

No this is actually quite important! Glad Apple coding team has made fast work of this - considering more and more of us are now fully able to explore our communities and world again. buy-bye pandemic.
COVID will never truly go away, just getting controlled. Just saying.

As for “dangerous”, if a mere resetting network setting could fix it, then it is not so “dangerous”. Inconvenient sure but “dangerous” is slightly over the board.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)