First iPhone Hack Reported

There are two types of people in tech: those who craft it, and those who hack it.

Apple and its loyal customers (who braved long lines to get their hands on the device) have had weeks to enjoy the rosy glow emitted by the iPhone. Now, it's the mischievous hacker's turn to enjoy the media spotlight, as word comes that a hole exists in the defenses of Apple's communicator.

Luckily, many hackers have abandoned their basement apartments for white collar jobs in software security companies. In fact, it was a security expert team at ISE (Independent Security Evaluators) that discovered a glitch that would allow a hacker to control an iPhone device remotely.

According to ISE, the installation of malicious code via the on-board Safari browser could give a hacker the ability to perform his or her will on the popular handheld. Opening an unfamiliar email containing the file should do it, much as it would on a standard PC. Thankfully, ISE has already prepared a suggested software patch that is expected to permanently fix this particular issue. (Source: timesonline.co.uk)

What's Apple got to say for themselves?

Speaking with the New York Times, a spokesperson announced, "Apple takes security very seriously and has a great track record of addressing potential vulnerabilities before they can affect users...We're looking into the report submitted by ISE and always welcome feedback on how to improve our security".

As it stands, ISE has certainly helped Apple avert a total tech catastrophe. When the company used API functions to take over the iPhone, it was able to do everything from dial phone numbers to send text messages to record audio. (Source: pcworld.com)

iPhone owners shouldn't feel invincible just yet, however. As the hottest toy since the Nintendo Wii, the device will surely face a plethora of future threats.