Well, that didn't take long: A new iPhone lock screen exploit has already been discovered in iOS 6.1.3. While it's unlikely this vulnerability can be used to jailbreak an iPhone, every jailbreak is facilitated by one or more exploits in iOS. That a new exploit was discovered less than 24 hours after Apple released iOS 6.1.3 suggests more will likely be found in the coming weeks and months.
The vulnerability is ironic, since Apple released iOS 6.1.3 specifically to address a lock screen exploit (and the Evasi0n jailbreak) that allowed access to photos, contacts and the Phone app. The new exploit grants the same access, but is a bit more involved.
To bypass the lock screen using the new vulnerability, users need to eject the SIM tray at a precise moment during a Voice Control-initiated call. The hack only works through the Voice Control function and only affects iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 users with Siri disabled.
The folks at The Verge tried the vulnerability and confirm that it works. The security flaw was first discovered by the infamous Apple hacker known only by his YouTube handle, "videosdebarraquito." The same hacker was responsible for the last lock screen bypass.
Security vulnerabilities are becoming an increasing source of embarrassment for Cupertino. The company has been known in the past to release iOS updates that do nothing more than reverse jailbreaks. The new hack implies that Apple is so eager to maintain the iOS status-quo that it doesn't care whether its efforts to kill jailbreaks, in its haste, are making the iPhone less secure in general.
