New iOS 13 bug gives access to your contacts without unlocking your phone

The previous version of the system included the exact same workaround.

Information security analyst Jose Rodriguez discussed the exploit in the new iOS with The Register. He revealed that the locked screen could be overcome by responding to a phone call with a text message, if you have physical access to the iPhone. 

To take advantage of this exploit, you need to call the blocked phone and select the text message response option. Then, if you try to change the addressee in the ‘To’ field using the voice-over feature, the iPhone will display a full list of contacts. 

This exploit is not too critical, but it has been active since the previous versions of iOS. To secure your iPhone against the exploit, you simply need to deactivate the option of replying to a call with a text message (this feature is activated by default). 

Jose Rodriguez, who has identified exploits in Apple’s systems in the past, has requested a formal reward for his discovery: an Apple Store gift card to the value of 1 dollar. At first, the company agreed to this request, but then they retracted their offer, as Rodriguez had discovered the bug in the beta version of iOS 13, which does not merit a reward according to the rules. However, the exploit is still active even in the latest releases of iOS 13.