If you have an iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch and you haven't yet updated your system to iOS 10.3.1, you could be exposing your device to cyberattacks. No time to update? Immediately disable your Wi-Fi connection until you can reboot your system at home. If you have a Samsung, you should disable your Wi-Fi until further notice.
Why? Google Project Zero, a team that looks for bugs in mainstream software and anti-virus products, discovered a vulnerability in the system that could cause hackers to launch attacks on your device, according to the U.K.'s International Business Times.
In an advisory issued yesterday, Apple said an attack "within range" could allow a hacker to take control of your phone.
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You can check to see whether your device is updated by going to Settings > General > Software Update, or manually download the update from iTunes.
"My understanding is that it could affect anyone who is operating their mobile with Wi-Fi on nearby an attacker," iOS security expert Will Strafach told The IBTimes. "This is not a common vulnerability and I believe it is critical to upgrade now that the vulnerability has been mentioned publicly."
We first learned of the news through Akshay Patil, the product lead at Beme who used to work at Google. He's been tweeting updates about the bug:
UPDATED PSA: If you have an iPhone and haven't updated to 10.3.1 yet, IMMEDIATELY turn off WiFi until you're home and can update.
— Akshay (@ak) April 4, 2017
PSA: If your phone's OS isn't fully up-to-date, immediately disable wifi until you can update it at home.
— Akshay (@ak) April 4, 2017
A recently discovered bug allowed an attacker near you to take control of your phone. Until your phone OS is updated, it is still vulnerable
— Akshay (@ak) April 4, 2017
Details: https://t.co/uAs3ZGhm5y -- fixes have been deployed by all affected parties, but that only saves you if you're up-to-date!
— Akshay (@ak) April 4, 2017
PSA: IF YOU HAVE A SAMSUNG PHONE, DISABLE WIFI UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. Samsung does not appear to have pushed a patch yet. h/t @forsyjoy
— Akshay (@ak) April 4, 2017