Charlie Miller, the hacker who discovered a hole in the new Apple Safari in ten seconds in the Pwn2Own contest, can now take complete control of an iPhone by merely sending a text message. And no, you don’t even have to open it!

Once taken control, the hacker can exploit the hole to make calls, steal data, send text messages, and do basically anything that the user can do with his iPhone. Miller and his partner Colin Mulliner demonstrated this scary scenario to CNET writer Elinor Mills at the Black Hat Security Conference on July 29, 2009. The two are professional researchers with a security firm and are just showing Apple the many security loopholes in their device.

CNET’s Elinor Mills described how it happened: “While I was talking on the phone to Charlie Miller, his partner, Collin Mulliner, sent me a text message from his phone. One minute I’m talking to Miller and the next minute my phone is dead, and this time it’s not AT&T’s fault. After a few seconds it came back to life, but I was not able to make or receive calls until I rebooted.”

The attack is enabled by a serious memory corruption bug in the way the iPhone handles SMS messages, said Miller, a senior security researcher at ISE – Independent Security Evaluators. There is no patch, despite the fact that Apple was notified of the problem about six weeks ago, he said. All current versions of the iPhone operating system are affected.

Asked what an iPhone user can do when attacked, Miller replied: “Rebooting wouldn’t be a bad idea. It would stop all but the most sophisticated attacker. However, it doesn’t take but a second to grab all your personal info from the device, and as soon as you turn it back on, the bad guy could attack you again. That’s why I think this is so serious.“

So if you have an iPhone in your pocket.. be alert!

Source : Article by Elinor Mills at CNET News

Apple introduced its new iPhone as ‘iPhone 3G [S]‘, it’ll be available in the market from tomorrow (19/06/2009). With the revolutionary iPhone, Apple combined innovative hardware features with the world’s most advanced mobile operating system to redefine what a mobile phone can do. Applications work together seamlessly and they sync with your computer — whether you’re on a Mac or a PC. From its revolutionary Multi-Touch display to its intelligent keyboard to its smart sensors, iPhone is years ahead of any other mobile phone.

Some of the features listed on the Apple’s website are listed here:

The Fastest iPhone Ever!

The first thing you’ll notice about iPhone 3G S is how quickly you can launch applications. Web pages render in a fraction of the time, and you can view email attachments faster. Improved performance and updated 3D graphics deliver an incredible gaming experience, too. In fact, everything you do on iPhone 3G S is up to 2x faster and more responsive than iPhone 3G.

Video
Now you can shoot video, edit it, and share it — all on your iPhone 3G S. Shoot high-quality VGA video in portrait or landscape. Trim your footage by adjusting start and end points. Then share your video in an email, post it to your MobileMe gallery, publish it on YouTube, or sync it back to your Mac or PC using iTunes.

3-Megapixel Camera
The new 3-megapixel camera takes great still photos, too, thanks to built-in autofocus and a handy new feature that lets you tap the display to focus on anything (or anyone) you want.

Voice Control
Voice Control recognizes the names in your Contacts and knows the music on your iPod. So if you want to place a call or play a song, all you have to do is ask.

Compass!!??
With a built-in digital compass, iPhone 3G S can point the way. Use the new Compass app, or watch as it automatically reorients maps to match the direction you’re facing.

Cut, Copy & Paste
Cut, copy, and paste words and photos, even between applications. Copy and paste images and content from the web, too.

Landscape Keyboard
Want more room to type on the intelligent software keyboard? Rotate iPhone to landscape to use a larger keyboard in Mail, Messages, Notes, and Safari.

Messages
Send messages with text, video, photos, audio, locations, and contact information. You can even forward one or more messages to others.

Search
Find what you’re looking for across your iPhone, all from one convenient place. Spotlight searches all your contacts, email, calendars, and notes, as well as everything in your iPod.

Accessibility
iPhone 3G S offers accessibility features to assist users who are visually or hearing impaired. These features include the VoiceOver screen reader, a Zoom feature, White on Black display options, Mono Audio, and more.

Internet Tethering
Surf the web from practically anywhere. Now you can share the 3G connection on your iPhone with your Mac notebook or PC laptop.

Voice Memos
Capture and share a thought, a memo, a meeting, or any audio recording on the go with the new Voice Memos application.

Nike + iPod
iPhone includes built-inNike + iPod support. Just slip the Nike + iPod Sensor (available separately) into your Nike+ shoe and start your workout.

Stocks
Stocks on iPhone shows you charts, financial details, and headline news for any stock you choose. Rotate iPhone to see even more detailed information.

YouTube
Watch YouTube videos wherever you are. Log in to your YouTube account to save and sync bookmarks and rate your favorites.

What are you waiting for?? Click here to buy one! In India it is available through Vodafone and AirTel