Apple has issued an urgent warning for iPhone users who are at risk of handing private data to hackers following a new flaw in the system that is being called “AirBorne”. The collection of bugs lets hackers deploy malware on your devices and steal private data, and even listen to your conversations. Apple has urged users to update their devices to the latest software as soon as possible.

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Devices connected to AirPlay are vulnerable to the new scam. The company is asking users to disable the AirPlay feature entirely since it could provide hackers with a gateway to take control of their devices.

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Wired reported that AirBorne lets a hacker using the same Wi-Fi network as a third-party AirPlay-enabled device to enter the network and run malicious code, which could spread across devices.

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Apple’s AirPlay kit bugged by 23 flaws

The revelation was made by the cybersecurity firm Oligo. A total of 23 flaws have been detected in Apple’s AirPlay protocol and software development kit (SDK). AirPlay lets users see photos, listen to music and run videos on other devices. Through AirBorne, hackers can access speakers, receivers, set-top boxes, or smart TVs if they’re on the same Wi-Fi network.

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While an update to iPhones can fix the problem on the handset, other devices connected through AirPlay might continue to carry the malware since they are rarely patched. These items can act as a doorway for hackers who can use them to enter the network and deploy malware across the network.

“If a hacker can get on the same network as one of these devices, they can gain control and use it as a stepping stone to reach everything else,” Gal Elbaz, chief technology officer and cofounder of Tel Aviv-based cybersecurity firm Oligo, told Wired. 

Elbaz says that third-party AirPlay-enabled devices could number in the tens of millions. He warns that these devices will continue to remain hackable unless users update them.