Urgent warning to iPhone users: Turn off popular feature and take these steps for safety
Researchers at cybersecurity firm Oligo found major security flaws in Apple AirPlay that allow hackers to hijack compatible devices on the same Wi-Fi network.
AirPlay allows users to seamlessly stream audio, video or photos from their Apple device to another Apple device or third-party gadgets that integrate the protocol.
The 23 vulnerabilities, dubbed 'AirBorne,' were found both in Apple's AirPlay protocol and the AirPlay Software Development Kit (SDK) used by third-party vendors to make devices AirPlay compatible, Wired reported.
Researchers demonstrated in a video how vulnerabilities can be exposed to hackers by accessing an AirPlay-enabled Bose speaker on the same network and remotely executing a Remote Code Execution (RCE) attack, showing the 'AirBorne' logo on the speaker's display.
They claimed that hackers realistically can use a similar strategy to gain access to devices with microphones for espionage.
Oligo CTO Gal Elbaz told Wired that the total number of exposed devices could potentially be in the millions.
'Because AirPlay is supported in such a wide variety of devices, there are a lot that will take years to patch — or they will never be patched,' Elbaz explained. 'And it's all because of vulnerabilities in one piece of software that affects everything.'
The risks were reported to Apple in the late fall and winter of last year, and Oligo worked with the tech giant for months on fixes before publishing their findings Tuesday.
Apple devices with iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, macOS Ventura 13.7.5, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5, macOS Sequoia 15.4 and visionOS 2.4 had fixes rolled out on March 31.
However, third-party devices that support AirPlay protocol remain vulnerable. The researchers said that manufacturers would need to roll out updates for users to install themselves in order to avoid being exposed to hackers.
Apple told Wired that it created patches available for these third-party devices, but it emphasized that there are 'limitations' to the attacks that would be possible on AirPlay-enabled devices due to the bugs.
CarPlay-equipped systems are also at risk, the researchers noted, since hackers can carry out an RCE attack if they are near the unit and 'the device has a default, predictable, or known Wi-Fi hotspot password.'
According to the report, there are several ways to help protect your device from the threat of hackers:
Update your devices: Researchers stressed that devices and other machines that support AirPlay need to be updated immediately to the latest software versions to mitigate potential security risks.
Disable AirPlay Receiver: Oligo recommends fully disabling the AirPlay feature when not in use.
Only AirPlay to trusted devices: Limit AirPlay communication and stream content to only trusted devices.
Restrict AirPlay Settings: Go to Settings > AirPlay & Continuity (or AirPlay & Handoff) and select Current User for the 'Allow AirPlay for' option. 'While this does not prevent all of the issues mentioned in the report, it does reduce the protocol's attack surface,' researchers noted.
Disable on public Wi-Fi: It's best to avoid enabling or using AirPlay when on a public Wi-Fi network.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Android Authority
18 minutes ago
- Android Authority
Hot deal: The Apple Mac Mini M4 is $100 off
Interestingly enough, the cheapest Mac computer is far from being the least capable. In fact, the Apple Mac Mini M4 is better than several much more expensive Apple laptops. With a retail price of $599, the value per dollar is impressive. And things get even better when you can find it on sale, like today. You can take it home for just $499 right now! Buy the Apple Mac Mini M4 for just $499 ($100 off) This offer is available from Amazon. This deal is for the base model, with an M4 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. Upgraded models are also on sale, though. Check them out if you need a bit more power. If you don't need mobility, a laptop may not be worth the extra price. Getting a desktop computer can save you money and/or give you more performance. The Apple Mac Mini M4 is the perfect example. It's only $499 right now, but it beats many of its bigger brothers, even ones that cost twice its price or more! There is one caveat to keep in mind, though. Laptops cost more, but they also come ready to use, with all you need already built in. If you're getting the Mac Mini, you'll need to consider that you will also need a keyboard, mouse/trackpad, and a monitor. You may already have those, but if you don't, consider that extra cost. Now, let's dig into what makes this so special. It has the same Apple M4 processor and 16GB of RAM you'll find on other base M4 computers, including MacBook Air and Pro models. One would assume they perform identically, but the Apple Mac Mini M4 is actually better. This is mainly because it has much better active cooling, and the internal components aren't as crammed in there. A cooler computer can push higher loads of performance for a more prolonged period. That said, even if the performance was identical to the laptop counterparts, those also do amazingly. They can edit RAW photography and 4K video without an issue. The Mac Mini will do even better. Of course, one main highlight is the design. The Apple Mac Mini M4 is smaller than all its predecessors at a mere 5 x 5 x 2in. This means it won't take up too much space on your desk; some people even hide it behind the monitor. But even if it's in clear view, that isn't a bad thing. It's tiny and actually looks pretty nice. The aluminum body is clean and minimalist, following that iconic design language Apple is known for. While you wouldn't imagine so, it also comes with plenty of ports! The front has a couple of USB-C ports and a 3.5mm headset jack. Additionally, you'll find two extra USB-C Thunderbolt-compatible ports in the back, along with an Ethernet port, an HDMI output, and a power port. Honestly, if you don't need a portable computer, this is one heck of a deal considering the level of performance you can get out of it. This is not the best price we've seen the Apple Mac Mini M4 go for, but it is pretty close. The record-low price is $469, but that only happened once and briefly. We don't see it happening again soon, so it might be a good idea to catch this offer while it's available. Follow
Gizmodo
18 minutes ago
- Gizmodo
Google's Big Leap Forward for Real-Time Translations Is Deepfaking Your Voice
I can't count the number of times I've been promised the Next Big Thing in app-enabled translation. Since the dawn of Google Translate, it's felt like tech companies (not just Google, but Samsung and Apple, too) have been teasing a future where speech can be translated instantaneously, allowing for near-seamless communication between people from *sarcastic SpongeBob voice* across the world. But the truth is, that future, however enticing on paper, hasn't exactly panned out. As incredible as apps have gotten at translating speech and text with a fairly high degree of accuracy, they haven't quite risen to the speed and cadence of real-life conversations. Designing a translation tool that can keep pace with our mouths (like, actually talking) isn't an easy feat. We talk fast, and we expect even faster responses, which makes live translation less of a marathon than a sprint, or I guess more accurately, a sprint that could be a marathon in length. Given that long promise of snappy, useful, real-time translation, I'm conditioned to roll an eye or two when live translate enters into a keynote, which is exactly what I did during Google's annual Pixel hardware event. This year, though, that eye roll might not be warranted. At its Made by Google keynote, Google showcased a feature that not only translates your speech in real time, but also deepfakes your actual voice (also in near real time) so that the person on the other end can hear you speaking in their native language. And yes, it works in the inverse, too. That's right, just two deepfakes talking to each other; nothing to see here, folks. And the extra wild part is Google was so confident in its new live translation feature that it offered up a live demo, which, I'm not going to lie… it kind of nailed? Gizmodo's Senior Editor, Consumer Tech, Raymond Wong, captured the whole thing live at Google's keynote. For your viewing pleasure, Jimmy Fallon's voice deepfaked into Spanish: Wow, Jimmy Fallon's voice was translated—deepfaked—into Spanish on Pixel 10… and it worked fast and accurately. Even getting inflections correct. This is the quiet game-changing AI feature… translations — Ray Wong (@raywongy) August 20, 2025I was also watching along from home during this segment, and my partner, who's Spanish-speaking and bilingual, confirmed that Google's new AI translate feature seemed to ace the assignment, inflections and all. Don't get me wrong, I still want to test those translation features for myself, but from the looks of it, Google is off to a pretty amazing start here. Powering those translation abilities is Gemini Nano, a compact version of Google's increasingly iterated-upon large language model and the Pixel 10's Tensor G5 chip. Google says its Nano model and the translation feature are run on-device in this case, which means that nothing—including your calls—gets teleported to the cloud while you're translating. That makes its new feature less icky, and I say 'less' in this case because let's be honest, this thing is still deepfaking your voice. Truthfully, if Google's new translation feature wasn't happening on-device, I might be a little worried. As cool as it is, the thought of having a facsimile of your voice stored on a server somewhere is a bad one, given the fact that people use biometrics for all sorts of important digital security, banking included. And in a way, on-device or not, the feature is still creepy. Apparently we're at the stage of instantaneous voice deepfakes. Just imagine what AI can do with a little bit of time and training. But more than anything, I'm impressed by what Google showed off today, especially as someone who's watched tech companies overpromise on translation features for years at this point. It's still too early to declare that Google has hit the Holy Grail of real-time translation, but for once, I'm left thinking that the idea of seamless, phone-enabled translations has actually taken a major leap forward. So, consider my eye roll officially rescinded, Google.
WIRED
20 minutes ago
- WIRED
We've Rounded Up the Best Early Labor Day Deals on Gear We've Tested
Aug 20, 2025 5:07 PM Say hey to autumn with deals on WIRED-approved fire pits, headphones, tablets, and home office gear. All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links. Learn more. Labor Day is not until September 1, but retailers are already offering oodles of Labor Day deals. The unofficial end of summer, a celebration of the American worker's contribution to our national prosperity, brings with it bargains on WIRED-tested gear, including home office essentials and some of our favorite gadgets. For the next couple of weeks, we'll be cruising and perusing for the latest true discounts on the gear we recommend to our friends—and rounding them all up for you below. Check our Best Labor Day Mattress Deals and upcoming outdoor gear deals stories for additional savings. We've also got some updated roundups for Back to School Deals and Back to School Laptop Deals. Tech Deals The Sony Bravia 7 II has been on sale for this price for a little while, but we have yet to see it drop lower. It's in our Best TVs buying guide as the pick with the most immersive picture. It has natural yet vivid colors and excellent picture processing. Reviewer Ryan Waniata says it renders 4K and HD scenes 'so clearly you'll feel like they're going to spill into your living room.' It could have better black levels and a few more ports, but it's still an excellent set, especially at this price. Our favorite electric scooter, the Apollo Go manages to strike an excellent balance between features and price. It weighs 46 pounds and has maximum speeds of 28 miles per hour, though you can tweak top speed, brake strength, and acceleration response in the app. It also has a few extra features like turn signals, a bell, and self-healing tires. We haven't seen it sell for less. This is the best price we've seen thus far for our favorite Android tablet. It's not a high-performance powerhouse, but it can handle the tasks that most people need. You can watch videos (even outdoors in bright sunlight), play most games, and use the included stylus to take notes or efficiently browse the web. The battery lasts about 20 hours and only takes about 100 minutes to recharge. The Apple iPad (A16, 2025) is the iPad we recommend for most people. It comes in fun colors like blue and yellow, and it's plenty powerful to handle whatever you'll throw at it on a day-to-day basis—from playing games to streaming videos to browsing the web. It doesn't support Apple Intelligence, which may be a blessing or a curse depending on who you ask. It does have a modern bezel design around its 11-inch LCD screen, plus USB-C charging, a Touch ID sensor, and two 12-megapixel cameras—one in the back and one for selfies. It also works with many of the best iPad accessories. The M4 Apple MacBook Air is the best MacBook for most people. This is the cheapest we've seen it. Where some MacBooks are overkill for basic everyday tasks, this lightweight model can handle them with ease—and you won't be paying for performance that you won't use. It has a bright display, long battery life, and support for up to two external displays as well as Apple Intelligence. And while you might want something else if you'll be doing heavy video editing or need a giant screen, the M4 MacBook Air will be capable of handling multiple Google Chrome tabs and apps running in the background. We do wish it had some more ports, but you can always use a USB hub to customize them further. These are the best noise-canceling earbuds we've tried. They have excellent sound quality and battery life, plus solid control options, and they're comfortable to wear for long periods of time. But where they truly excel is in active noise canceling. They can make a busy subway car or crowded airplane disappear entirely, lending you extra focus or decompression with no effort. Home and Outdoor Deals Photograph: Julian Chokkattu Branch has made our favorite office chair for years. It has oodles of adjustable elements, including the arms, armrests, seat depth, recline, lumbar support, and seat tilt. The foam cushion seat is comfortable and the mesh backrest is supportive, too. The affordable price tag is icing on the cake, and while it doesn't go on sale very often, you can save ten percent until the sale ends with code LABORDAY. If you don't want to spring for the Ergonomic Chair Pro, this is the best budget-friendly office chair and an option worth considering. It's very easy to assemble and there are a few adjustable areas for a better fit—the armrests, seat, recline, and lumbar support can all be dialed in. There are some fun fabric color options, like blue and orange, though the upholstery does tend to pill and is a magnet for pet hair. Even with its quirks, it will be a definite upgrade if you're still working from the ratty chair you picked up off Craigslist when you first built your home office. Sitting all day is bad for you! This telescoping desk can be raised up as high as 45 inches, with simple setup and two available sizes. It comes in a few different finishes. The leg motors aren't the quietest, but they work well, and the desk looks great in any setup. For additional recommendations, check our home office buying guide. Photograph: Julian Chokkattu This coupon code gets you 20 percent off almost everything on Humanscale's website. Humanscale makes some of the best office chairs. The Freedom Headrest is the best reclining office chair, and it drops from $1,743 to $1,394 with code SEMIANNUAL20. Editor Julian Chokkattu said, 'this chair gracefully supports my back like a mother gently laying a baby in a crib.' We also like the Humanscale Path, which is great for tight spaces and even comes in armless versions. It falls from $1,294 to $1,035 after code. The Silk & Snow S&S Organic Mattress is our favorite organic latex mattress. The latex-wrapped coils help to alleviate any tension or pressure points while you're sleeping, and it's especially great for side sleepers. Check our roundup of Labor Day Mattress Deals for additional expert recommendations. This is the bed frame I'm currently using, and I love it very much. Assembly wasn't my favorite, but once I got it all put together, I fell in love. It has a drawer at the foot of the bed that's handy for storing extra linens or off-season clothing, and it's sturdy too. I also appreciate that the platform lets me maneuver my mattress easily so I don't have to fight to change my sheets. This well-made, luxurious sofa is one of the best couches you can buy online. Operations Manager Scott Gilbertson called it the best-looking and most comfortable couch he's ever sat on. The website lets you order swatches and pick the layout you want, and you can even get a full-size printout to make sure the couch will look right in your living space. There are dozens of options for upholstery, legs, and cushion fill, so you can create the couch of your dreams. For a more affordable option, we also like the Benchmade Modern Laguna (pictured above) on sale for $2,397 ($599 off). 'My family and I have been sitting on it for a year and a half now, and the single cushion (as well as the rest of the couch's cushions) is comfortable and supportive,' says reviewer Nena Farrell. Breeo makes the best upgrade fire pit. The American-made pit has a fire bowl that's two feet wide, so it'll fit pre-cut wood, and there are a ton of accessories available. (We especially like the live-fire pizza oven, on sale for $723—a $128 discount). The hefty, sturdy base and natural patina (on the Corten steel option) make this a centerpiece worthy of any backyard. This is featured in our guide to the Best Kitchen Composters. It has the fastest compost breakdown of any model we tried. It has some quirks, like a lid that requires two hands to open and the machine's tendency to make a loud whirring noise as it works. But it's a great-entry level kitchen composter, and it doesn't drop in price very often. The Ooni Volt is the very best electric pizza oven. It can heat up to 850 degrees Fahrenheit, and the triple-pane glass door always lets you see what's going on. And while you might miss out on some of the vibes that come with a fire-powered oven, the Volt can safely be used indoors and outdoors—so you won't have to brave the coming winter chill (or supply propane refills) to get your paws on some good 'za. Hydroviv makes one of the best shower water filters we've tested. The bacteriostatic showerhead was able to filter total chlorine down to undetectable levels in reviewer Matthew Korfhage's chloramine-treated water system. This deal is for the automatically-replenishing subscription bundle. Hydroviv says you should replace filters every six months, but you can pause or cancel that subscription if you decide you want to order them separately. WIRED Reviews Editor Julian Chokkattu tested and loved this outdoor couch and armchair set. The couches come with OuterShell, which is a built-in cover that helps protect the couch cushions from the elements (and stray bird poops). The performance fabric is made from recyclable materials, and the covers are machine washable. Julian still has to see how the couch fares New York winters, but so far, it's sturdy and comfortable. We like that the couch is made with Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood. It's also backed by a ten-year warranty and available in four different fabric options. Photograph: Martin Cizmar We really like this cooler from RTIC, and clipping the on-page coupon gets you 10 percent off the normal price, bringing it within $10 of the best discount we've seen. The rotomolded 45-quart cooler is heavy, but the padded handles make carrying it easier, and tester Martin Cizmar hasn't experienced any issues with ice retention. And unlike coolers from Yeti, this one actually has its full listed capacity available inside. All the better to store your beer. We've recommended the Albany Park Barton in our Couch Buying Guide for years. It's soft and supportive, with deep seats and wide arms so you can put down your coffee cup or phone without needing an extra table. There are many different fabrics to choose from, and you can choose the stain of the wooden legs too. Assembly wasn't too difficult—just be prepared to take out a lot of recycling afterward. The couch also comes with a 30-day trial so you can try it before committing. Home Depot is offering up to 35 percent off a variety of appliances for Labor Day, including washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, dishwashers, and various bundles. This discount also applies to a few robot vacuums that we like from Roborock and iRobot, as well as a large selection of window air conditioners we recommend. If you're in the market for a new home appliance, this sale is worth checking out. Power up with unlimited access to WIRED . Get best-in-class reporting and exclusive subscriber content that's too important to ignore. Subscribe Today.
