A significant security vulnerability has been discovered in iPhones that allows hackers to bypass locks and process unauthorized payments. By exploiting the NFC system, researchers demonstrated how a device can be tricked into treating a payment terminal as a public transport reader.
How the Exploit Works
- Target: The flaw specifically affects Visa cards configured in Express Mode.
- Method: Attackers use specialized equipment to intercept NFC signals without any user interaction or biometric authentication (FaceID/TouchID).
- Result: In a controlled experiment, researchers successfully siphoned $10,000 from a locked device.
Official Responses
Apple states that the vulnerability lies within Visa's system architecture. Conversely, Visa maintains that this type of exploit is unlikely to occur in real-world scenarios due to existing fraud detection layers. For now, users concerned about security may consider disabling Express Mode for Visa cards in their Wallet app.
