Hmm…Is This Bug a Problem, or Nothing to Worry About?

Tech Crunch is reporting that a flaw in iPhone security allows software developers to circumvent security so that arbitrary code can be updated and run at will.  The exploit takes advantage of pre-set “default.png” images—such as the current date and time, or a “loading” image—that is run when new software is being loaded.  By putting a workaround into an application to be loaded, the software tricks the iPhone into giving access to the default.png images and allowing arbitrary code to be uploaded and run at will.  The bug completely circumvents the Apple’s App Store approval process.

Is this really a problem?  While it is a bug, there are several other, easier, ways to get the iPhone to run malicious code, yet none of them have been an issue so far.  And as Apple users become more aware of the possibility of bugs infecting their software, they are no longer the trusting sorts they used to be.  So you think the typical Apple user would be a little more wary than they used to be—if it is, indeed, a problem at all. 

Your thoughts?