SAN FRANCISCO — The iPhone as an eavesdropping device? Watch out. It can happen. On Monday, Twitter and other social networking sites lit up with anxious Apple users after the news site 9to5Mac reported on a strange glitch in the company’s iPhones. The issue: It turns out that an iPhone user can call another iPhone user and listen in on that person’s conversations through the device’s microphone — even if the recipient does not answer the call. The problem was the result of a bug and involves Apple’s FaceTime app for placing video and audio calls over an internet connection. The bug could also give a caller access to a live feed of the recipient’s camera. On Monday night, Apple said it had disabled Group FaceTime, the feature that was causing the glitch. The glitch is embarrassing for Apple, which is set to report disappointing financial earnings on Tuesday. The Silicon Valley company has long positioned itself as a protector of user privacy offering more secure devices than its rivals.<doc-sep>There’s a serious bug in Apple’s FaceTime video calling platform that has been bouncing around some corners of social media today, and that 9to5Mac just alerted us to: you can call somebody via FaceTime and listen to their phone’s microphone regardless of whether the person you’re calling picks up. Reached for comment, an Apple spokesperson said “We’re aware of this issue and we have identified a fix that will be released in a software update later this week.” The Verge has just independently confirmed that it works using two iPhones running 12.1.2 in our office. Here’s how it goes: you begin calling somebody via FaceTime Video from within the Phone app. Before that person picks up, you can swipe up to add your own phone number to the call. Once you’ve added yourself, FaceTime immediately seems to assume it’s an active conference call and begins sending the audio of the person you’re calling, even though they haven’t yet picked up. In other words, if you see your iPhone ringing with a FaceTime video call, it’s possible that the person calling you could listen to your microphone before you’ve picked up. The bug requires you have an OS that supports Group FaceTime to work, of course. What’s more, if one of these “fake” conference calls is happening, if the recipient hits the power or volume button to ignore the call, it not only broadcasts audio to your phone but video as well. This seems like a very serious bug — one that has to be fixed quickly one way or another. MacRumors was also able to replicate the bug using a Mac. As Benjamin Mayo notes, that’s potentially even scarier as “FaceTime on Mac rings for much longer.” For now, probably the best defense is to turn off FaceTime by going into settings and toggling the switch for it there. On the Mac, you disable FaceTime by opening the app, then Preferences, then uncheck “Enable this account.” Otherwise, just be aware that if your phone starts ringing a FaceTime call, be aware that if the caller is malicious they could be listening to you. Now you can answer for yourself on FaceTime even if they don’t answer #Apple explain this.. pic.twitter.com/gr8llRKZxJ — Benji Mobb™ (@BmManski) January 28, 2019<doc-sep>Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an Apple launch event in the Brooklyn borough of New York, U.S., October 30, 2018. There's a FaceTime bug that lets you hear through someone else's iPhone, even if they haven't answered your phone call. It was previously reported on Twitter by user Benji Mobb and reported by 9to5Mac. CNBC tested it and verified that it's a real bug. I tried placing a video call to my editor from my iPhone using Apple's FaceTime app. Then, before he picked up, I used the menu option to add somebody else to the call and, as 9to5Mac's directions state, I added myself to the call. Suddenly, I could hear my editor, even though he never picked up. We continued having a conversation while his phone only gave him the option to answer. There was no indication that the call had already gone through. The Verge reports that, if the person you're calling tries to end it by tapping the power button on their phone, it sends video but no audio. That means the person calling you can see a video of you or your surroundings as if you'd answered the call. I replicated this with a friend. tweet This bug seems to rely on the FaceTime Group Call feature, since you're trying to add another person to the call. Group FaceTime launched last year. There's obviously a big privacy concern here. You could theoretically call anyone with FaceTime and, using the steps above, listen in on their conversations. Apple, which is scheduled to report earnings on Tuesday afternoon, said a fix is coming this week. "We're aware of this issue and we have identified a fix that will be released in a software update later this week," a spokesperson told CNBC. It also deactivated Group FaceTime to prevent people from exploiting the bug before it releases a fix. In the meantime, and to be extra safe, the fastest fix right now is to just turn off FaceTime. Here's how:<doc-sep>A major bug in Apple’s FaceTime app surfaced on Monday that allows anyone with an iPhone, iPad or Mac computer to eavesdrop on other users without their knowledge. Apple said Monday evening that it was aware of the glitch, was working on a fix and would release it in a software update later this week. In the meantime, Apple has turned off Group FaceTime, the feature that allowed for surreptitious listening, which should temporarily resolve the issue. But for those who want an extra layer of security, follow these steps to turn off FaceTime on your devices. Step 1: Check if you’re susceptible Before you do anything, you need to make sure your Apple device was affected by the glitch. It exists on iOS devices with the most recent software updates, starting with iOS 12.1, which was released in October. That release introduced the Group FaceTime feature.<doc-sep>
Worried about using FaceTime in light of a privacy bug confirmed by Apple? There is a way to disable the app. On Monday, Apple acknowledged a bug with its video-calling app where users can eavesdrop on your conversations even if you don't answer the call. Apple has since disabled the app's group chat function. The bug, which USA TODAY reported on Monday, involved starting a FaceTime call, swiping up to add a person then entering your own phone number. The move starts a group call and automatically answers the call for the first person, enabling someone to listen in without their knowledge. In a statement to USA TODAY, Apple said it is "aware of this issue and we have identified a fix that will be released in a software update later this week." New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said in a statement people should disable the app until Apple fixes the issue. The problem with FaceTime:Apple FaceTime bug lets people eavesdrop on your iPhone or Mac without your knowledge Start the day smarter:Get USA TODAY's Daily Briefing in your inbox Here's what to do if you own an Apple device if you want to shut off FaceTime: For iOS devices (iPhones, iPads) 1. Go to Settings. 2. Scroll down to FaceTime. 3. Toggle the FaceTime switch off. For Macs 1. Open the FaceTime app. 2. Scroll to FaceTime in the upper-left corner. 3. Select turn FaceTime off. If you are considering a switch to another video calling app, there are several out there, including Microsoft's Skype, Google Duo and Facebook Messenger. Contributing: Eli Blumenthal, The Associated Press. Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.