Apple it works on a program to fix a bug that allows eavesdropping.
Apple's status page shows that group FaceTime calling is "temporarily unavailable" — this is a temporary move. The company will offer a more permanent solution to the problem this week.
If all goes well, this solution means that users don't have to completely disable FaceTime due to the bug. However, it's understandable if some people are hesitant to turn it back on.
The vulnerability, which was discovered on Monday, is triggered when a user starts a group call but adds themselves as a participant. The bug appears to trick the recipient's phone into thinking a group call is already in progress. FaceTime turns on the recipient's microphone without the recipient accepting the call.
Additionally, if the recipient presses the volume button or the power button to try to lower or reject the call, the camera is activated. Although the recipient's phone screen continues to show the incoming call screen, their microphone/camera continues to work.
"We are aware of the issue and have found a solution, which will be released in a software update later this week," an Apple spokesperson said.
It's interesting to note that the group calling feature actually took longer than originally planned to arrive on iOS. It was first added, then removed from the iOS 12 beta in August, and it took a while to roll out to all users. The feature was absent when iOS 12 was released in September. Instead, it returned with the release of iOS 12.1 in October. Apple never explained why there was this delay.
The bug is an embarrassing incident for Apple, which has long emphasized its focus on privacy.
