Update: A report on The Verge says Apple has temporarily disabled its Group FaceTime feature in iOS and macOS. The feature has been disabled on the server side, and this appears to fix the problem for many users. The privacy bug let others users listen in to the audio of the other party, even if the call was not picked up.
Apple’s FaceTime video and audio-calling feature has a major privacy bug, which could allow users to listen to the other end without the incoming call being accepted or rejected, according to a report from 9to5Mac. Apple has also responded to the issue promising a fix for this problem with a software update later in the week. The company just rolled out iOS 12.1.3 last week.
In an official statement, an Apple spokesperson said, “We’re aware of the issue and we have identified a a fix that will be released in a software update later this week.”
As the report points out, the FaceTime privacy bug is a major problem because it could allow anyone to listen to another iOS user. It also appears that the recipient is unaware that the other party is listening, though the FaceTime call does ring.
The report adds that they managed to reproduce the bug with an iPhone X calling an iPhone XR and that the problem impacts any pair of iOS devices running iOS 12.1 or later.
All one has to do while making an iPhone FaceTime call is to add their own number while the call is dialing, by swiping up from the bottom and tap on the add person option.
This would create a group call, and the audio of the person one has called can be heard even if they have not accepted the call. The report adds that in the FaceTime interface it looks like the other person has joined the group chat, but the call is still ringing.
As the report points out, this could potentially allow users to listen to any other iPhone user’s call. The problem also appear to be there when a call is made to a Mac from an iPhone. It also appears that the user’s video feed can be spied on by the other caller.
