iOS Vulnerability Allows Siri to Read Notifications on Locked iPhones

A vulnerability in iOS allows the Siri voice assistant to read out user notifications on the lock screen, even if the user has chosen to hide their contents. This was reported by Mac Magazine.

iOS 11 includes a feature that hides the text of messages in notifications on the lock screen. With this setting enabled, users can see that a new message has arrived, but its content is not displayed. This option is enabled by default on the iPhone X, where unlocking the phone and revealing notification contents only requires holding the device up to your face. However, the hidden notification text mode can also be configured on other iPhone models.

According to a Mac Magazine reader, Siri will read the text of most messages aloud, even if the user has chosen to hide their content. The only exception is the default “Messages” app, where Siri will only read messages if the phone is unlocked. For other messaging apps, such as WhatsApp, Telegram, or Skype, Siri will read the full content of all messages out loud.

This vulnerability is present in iOS 11.2.6 and the beta version of iOS 11.3. The publication has already notified Apple about the issue, and the company has promised to fix the vulnerability in the next update.