iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch software has security hole: German IT security agency

The software running Apple's iPhones, iPads and the iPod Touch has a security hole that could be exploited by criminals to access confidential data on the devices, Germany's IT security agency has warned.

The Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik (federal office for information security) warns that clicking an infected PDF file would suffice to infect the mobile device with malware without the user's knowledge, on several versions of Apple's iOS operating system.
 
The problem has been found to occur on iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad, iPad 2 and the iPod Touch with software versions including iOS 4.3.3, and other iOS versions including iOS 5 due September could carry the same vulnerability according to the Bonn-based federal bureau in a warning published in German, on its site.

The problem could occur when a website carrying an infected PDF file is opened, that would allow criminals to spy on passwords, planners, photos, text messages, emails and even eavesdrop on phone conversation.

The bureau said the weak points allowed possible attackers to gain administrator rights and get access to the entire system. Meanwhile, Apple is still to issue a fix for the problem.

According to the Associated Press which cited a spokesman for Apple Germany, it was aware of the warning but would not comment on it.

Analysts say the vast majority of the 200 million plus iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches would be vulnerable to exploitation. Mikko Hypponen of the security company F-Secure who spoke to the Guardian said that if hackers worked at it "any web link could redirect to or embed a malicious file".