Security firm predicts iOS vulnerability will be exploited via Twitter

iPhone and iPads could be jailbroken whether you want them to be or not

Following yesterday's news that a new vulnerability had been found in the Apple iOS mobile platform, one security company has predicted that hackers will exploit it via Twitter.

The vulnerability was discovered and used by a hacker known as Comex to build a jailbreak app for the latest iOS version.

The jailbreak enables users of Apple's mobile devices to download tools that haven't been approved by Apple.

Security company F-Secure said on its blog that hackers could use microblog site Twitter to exploit the vulnerability, but that hackers were more likely to use the vulnerability to annoy users than infect them with malware.

"We can easily imagine hackers tweeting links directly to jailbreak PDF files. When somebody clicks on such a link from their Twitter app, it would open Safari – as Apple doesn't allow for other default browsers – and then Safari would attempt to view the PDF. And then... jailbreak."

With the iPhone and iPad devices in particular seeing a greater level of penetration into the enterprise, these security concerns will come as bad news to IT departments.

Once jailbroken, the iOS is considered by security analysts to be more at risk from malware.

F-Secure advises Apple users to be cautious when visiting Twitter until Apple patches the vulnerability.

"You might want to be very careful what you click on between now and the time Apple releases iOS 4.3.4."