If you’ve been trying to get on your weekly family video chat (everyone has those, right?), there’s a reason it isn’t working.
Apple have taken the drastic step of disabling Group FaceTime, after two tech blog discovered serious privacy-compromising bugs hidden in the function.
First, 9To5Mac discovered that a group FaceTime call may allow access to a participant’s microphone before they pick up, and even if they reject the call. That means audio eavesdropping without the contact’s consent.
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
Then tech news site The Verge confirmed that if you use the volume or lock buttons to reject the call, the caller could see video as well.
I just found out if the person you’re calling hits the power button OR the volume button to silence or decline the FaceTime call, it will pick up the FaceTime call and show the VIDEO and it will look like they’re still calling you with the Decline or Accept option on your screen! https://t.co/LiC1f4BIu7
— Quan. (@KillaJay_25) January 28, 2019
UNLESS THEY FACETIME YOU pic.twitter.com/OHt7340AGG
— SwiftOnSecurity (@SwiftOnSecurity) January 29, 2019
The bug has also been replicated by some of these sites on a Mac – which rings for longer.
That tape over your webcam doesn’t look so paranoid now, huh?
who is "Unknown" and why are they calling me!?
….so it begins?! ?? pic.twitter.com/74KYT7caOk
— patrick wardle (@patrickwardle) January 29, 2019
While Group FaceTime is currently still disabled at the time of writing, the best advice going is to disable FaceTime altogether on your phone and computer if you’re concerned.
