--- title: "Apple iMessage Security: How Anyone Can Take Over Your Phone With A Fake Message" description: Apple users should upgrade to iOS 12.4 immediately to patch their devices against a series of dangerous vulnerabilities.  image: https://blog.integrityts.com/hubfs/apple-imessage-security.jpg --- [![Integrity Technology Solutions](https://blog.integrityts.com/hs-fs/hubfs/IntegrityTechnologySolutions_February2026/images/integrity_color_logo.png?width=284&height=53&name=integrity_color_logo.png "Integrity Technology Solutions")](https://www.integrityts.com/) - [Who We Are](https://www.integrityts.com/who-we-are/) - [Our Team](https://www.integrityts.com/who-we-are/our-team/) - [Partners & Certifications](https://www.integrityts.com/who-we-are/partners-certifications/) - [NIST Cybersecurity Framework](https://www.integrityts.com/who-we-are/nist-cybersecurity-framework/) - [Careers](https://www.integrityts.com/careers/) - [Industries](https://www.integrityts.com/industries/) - [Financial Institutions](https://www.integrityts.com/industries/financial-institutions/) - [Healthcare](https://www.integrityts.com/industries/healthcare/) - [Insurance](https://www.integrityts.com/industries/insurance/) - [Manufacturing](https://www.integrityts.com/industries/manufacturing/) - [Services](https://www.integrityts.com/services/) - [Co-Managed IT Support](https://www.integrityts.com/services/co-managed-it-support/) - [IT Cybersecurity](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-cybersecurity/) - [IT Support](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/) - [Technology Advisement](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/technology-advisement/) - [Managed Security](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/managed-security/) - [RemoteFix Help Desk](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/remotefix-help-desk/) - [Security Awareness Program](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/security-awareness-program/) - [Managed Cloud Security](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/managed-cloud-security/) - [Vulnerability Management](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/vulnerability-management/) - [Managed Detection & Response](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/managed-detection-response/) - [Managed Backup & Disaster Recovery](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/managed-backup-disaster-recovery/) - [Teams Phones (Voice)](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/teams-phones-voice/) - [IT Tool Kit](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/it-tool-kit/) - [Password Management / LAPS – Copy](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/password-management-laps/) - [Secure Cloud / Hosted Infrastructure](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/secure-cloud-hosted-infrastructure/) - [Microsoft 365 Licensing/New Commerce Experience](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-support/microsoft-365-licensing-new-commerce-experience/) - [IT Professional Services & Consulting](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/) - [Network Infrastructure](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/network-infrastructure/) - [Cloud Migrations](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/cloud-migrations/) - [Incident Response](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/incident-response/) - [SharePoint Consulting](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/sharepoint-consulting/) - [Security Risk Assessments](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/security-risk-assessments/) - [Tabletop Exercises](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/tabletop-exercises/) - [AI Capabilities](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/ai-capabilities/) - [Administrative Policies & Controls](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/administrative-policies-controls/) - [HIPAA Risk Assessments](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/hipaa-risk-assessments/) - [MIPS Consulting](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/mips-consulting/) - [SAFER Guides Consulting](https://www.integrityts.com/services/it-professional-services-consulting/safer-guides-consulting/) - [Pricing](https://www.integrityts.com/pricing/) - [Blog](https://blog.integrityts.com/) - [Contact](https://www.integrityts.com/contact/) # Blog ## Apple iMessage Security: How Anyone Can Take Over Your Phone With A Fake Message [Integrity Staff](https://blog.integrityts.com/author/integrity-staff) August 05, 2019 at 10:00 AM ![apple-imessage-security](https://blog.integrityts.com/hs-fs/hubfs/apple-imessage-security.jpg?width=1200&name=apple-imessage-security.jpg) Apple users should upgrade to [iOS 12.4](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210346) immediately to patch their devices against a series of dangerous vulnerabilities.  Researchers from Google’s Project Zero team discovered a number of exploits that require virtually no interaction from the user. “All an attacker needs to do is to send a malformed message to a victim's phone, and the malicious code will execute once the user opens and views the received item,” according to [ZDNet](https://www.zdnet.com/article/google-researchers-disclose-vulnerabilities-for-interactionless-ios-attacks/).  These bugs could allow attackers to exploit iPads, iPhones, and iPod Touch devices by: 1. Executing malicious code on a remote device. 2. Siphoning data from a device’s memory. 3. Copying files off a remote device. The only way to reverse the damage from one of the bugs is to [reboot and restore](https://bugs.chromium.org/p/project-zero/issues/detail?id=1826&can=1&q=label%3AiMessage&colspec=ID%20Status%20Restrict%20Reported%20Vendor%20Product%20Finder%20Summary) a device, deleting all of its data.   #### [Software upgrades should be part of a security awareness training strategy. Find out what else you need to increase security awareness at your organization with our free guide.](https://content.integrityts.com/security-awareness-checklist)   ### Did Apple Fix All Of The Issues? Not quite. While iOS 12.4 patched [five of the vulnerabilities](https://bugs.chromium.org/p/project-zero/issues/list?q=label%3AiMessage&can=1), one still remains at large.  “We are withholding CVE-2019-8641 until its deadline because the fix in the advisory did not resolve the vulnerability,” [tweeted](https://twitter.com/natashenka/status/1155941211275956226) Natalie Silvanovich, one of the researchers on this effort.  Silvanovich is speaking on [remote, interactionless iPhone attacks](https://www.blackhat.com/us-19/briefings/schedule/#look-no-hands----the-remote-interaction-less-attack-surface-of-the-iphone-15203) on Aug. 7 in Las Vegas at the Black Hat USA conference.    ### How Serious Are These Bugs? For what it’s worth, these vulnerabilities fetch large sums of money on the exploit market.  [ZERODIUM](https://zerodium.com/program.html) pays up to $1 million for each remote code execution exploit. ZDNet’s analysis, then, figures that the Google researchers have come across vulnerabilities worth up to $5 million.  Meanwhile, [Crowdfense](https://www.crowdfense.com/bug-bounty-program.html) pays around $3 million apiece for such vulnerabilities. ZDNet values the six at between $20-24 million.  Again, we reiterate the importance of upgrading to iOS 12.4.  After all, “keeping your software up to date is one of the most important things you can do to maintain your [Apple product's security](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201222).” If you'd like help in understanding how this issue could affect your business, or you want to increase security in your organization, please [contact Integrity](https://www.integrityts.com/contact-us/) to learn how we can help you.  [![Download Our Security Awareness Guide](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2136188/25a61b05-6d1c-4f30-8473-cf1b88460e6b.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2136188/25a61b05-6d1c-4f30-8473-cf1b88460e6b) *Image by [Dean Moriarty](https://pixabay.com/users/terimakasih0-624267/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1490691) from* [*Pixabay*](https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1490691) ### Leave a Reply ## CONTACT US ### PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS. Integrity helps businesses dealing with sensitive data protect against looming cybersecurity threats. ### Address: 816 South Eldorado Road, Suite #4 Bloomington, IL 61704 ### Call Us: [+1 309.662.7723](tel:13096627723) ### Email: [info@integrityts.com](mailto:info@integrityts.com) [![x](https://blog.integrityts.com/hs-fs/hubfs/IntegrityTechnologySolutions_February2026/images/x.png?width=512&name=x.png "x")](https://x.com/integrityts) #### Customers: Need Assistance Now? ### Call Customer Support: [+1 888.764.8181](tel:18887648181) ### Email Customer Support: [remotefix@integrityts.com](mailto:remotefix@integrityts.com) #### Information & Sales [![Integrity Technology Solutions](https://blog.integrityts.com/hubfs/IntegrityTechnologySolutions_February2026/images/footer-logo.svg "Integrity Technology Solutions")](https://www.integrityts.com/) - [Who We Are](https://www.integrityts.com/who-we-are/) - [Industries](https://www.integrityts.com/industries/) - [Services](https://www.integrityts.com/services/) - [Pricing](https://www.integrityts.com/pricing/) - [Blog](https://blog.integrityts.com/) ©2026 [Integrity Technology Solutions](https://www.integrityts.com/). - [Privacy Policy](https://www.integrityts.com/privacy-policy/) - [Terms & Conditions](https://www.integrityts.com/terms-and-conditions/) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Integrity Staff", "url" : "https://blog.integrityts.com/author/integrity-staff" }, "dateModified" : "2019-08-05T15:00:02.588Z", "datePublished" : "2019-08-05T15:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "Apple iMessage Security: How Anyone Can Take Over Your Phone With A Fake Message", "image" : [ "https://blog.integrityts.com/hubfs/apple-imessage-security.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.integrityts.com/apple-imessage-security", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.integrityts.com/hubfs/Logos/integrity_1000x187.png" }, "name" : "Integrity Technology Solutions" } } ```