Apple Warns of Unfixable Security Risks for Older Iphones
WHO:
Mashable - A cybersecurity firm discovered the flaw affecting older iPhone and Apple device models.
WHAT:
9to5Mac - Researchers at Paradigm Shift published technical details of a new unpatchable iPhone BootROM vulnerability called usbliter8, which enables arbitrary code execution on devices powered by Apple’s A12 and A13 chips.
9to5Mac - The usbliter8 exploit leverages a hardware bug in the USB controller and a specific configuration flaw in the device firmware, and it cannot be patched.
9to5Mac - The devices affected by the usbliter8 exploit include iPhone XR, iPhone XS/XS Max, iPad Air 3, iPad mini 5, iPad 8, second-generation Apple TV 4K, Apple Watch Series 4, Apple Watch Series 5, first-generation Apple Watch SE, HomePod mini, iPhone 11/11 Pro/11 Pro Max, second-generation iPhone SE, iPad 9, and Studio Display.
9to5Mac - The researchers noted that migrating to newer hardware is the most effective mitigation against the usbliter8 exploit.
Mashable - The flaw is described as unfixable.
TechRadar - The bug is physical and can potentially help jailbreak the device and access data.
HOW:
TechRadar - The flaw is difficult to exploit, but it poses significant security risks for older devices.
(UPDATED June 19, 2026 19:28 UTC)
Researchers at Paradigm Shift have revealed a serious unpatchable vulnerability in iPhones and other Apple devices, known as usbliter8, which allows for arbitrary code execution on devices powered by Apple’s A12 and A13 chips. This exploit takes advantage of a hardware bug in the USB controller combined with a specific firmware configuration flaw, affecting a range of devices including the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and several iPad models, among others. The researchers emphasize that the best way to protect against this vulnerability is to migrate to newer hardware.
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(UPDATED June 19, 2026 16:02 UTC)
A cybersecurity firm has uncovered a serious flaw affecting older iPhone and Apple device models, which is described as unfixable. This physical bug could potentially allow for jailbreaking the device and accessing sensitive data, although exploiting it is considered difficult. Despite the challenges in taking advantage of the flaw, it poses significant security risks for users of these older devices.