Submitted by Penelope Wang on
A newly discovered bug can cause iPhones and iPads to crash momentarily with just a few keystrokes. The issue, found by a security researcher, is triggered by typing specific characters into certain search bars.
Typing “”: followed by any character into the Search bar in the Settings app or the App Library search bar causes the device's Springboard—Apple’s mobile user interface—to crash briefly. The screen may flash black, and the device quickly reloads to the lock screen. TechCrunch confirmed the bug's existence and noted its impact is temporary and non-destructive.
While this bug might raise eyebrows, experts agree that it’s not a security threat. iOS security researchers, including Ryan Stortz and Patrick Wardle, confirmed that the bug does not compromise device security. Unlike past vulnerabilities that allowed attackers to crash iPhones remotely by sending malicious text messages, this issue requires physical access to the device.
Apple has yet to comment on the matter, but given the company’s history of addressing similar bugs, a software update is likely on the horizon. The timing of the fix remains uncertain, with the possibility of it being included in an upcoming iOS 17 update or potentially in the anticipated release of iOS 18.While this bug is not considered a security risk, it’s another example of how specific character sequences can cause unexpected behavior in iPhones and iPads. However, with no evidence of remote exploitation and the brief, non-damaging nature of the crash, it’s a minor inconvenience that will likely be resolved soon.