iOS 7 passcode bypass flaw grants access to photos, e-mail, more

A vulnerability in Apple’s new mobile operating system allows anyone to bypass the lockscreen on an iPhone or iPad and gain access to a user’s photos, e-mails, text messages, Facebook, Twitter and more. Apple said they are aware of the security flaw and are working to deliver a fix in a future iOS update.

The hack is a bit tricky to pull off but anyone should be able to do it with a little practice. Starting at the lockscreen, swipe up to access the new control center in iOS 7. Once in, open the clock app then hold down the power button which will bring up the shut down screen. Instead of shutting down, tap cancel then quickly press the home button twice.

If successful, you’ll be dropped into the iOS multitasking screen where a number of apps will be at your disposal. The hack has been independently confirmed to work on an iPhone 5 as well as an iPhone 4S.

It’s unclear exactly how long it might take for Apple to patch the flaw but in the meantime, you can disable control center access from the lock screen. To do so, simply tap Settings then go to Control Center and disable Access on Lock Screen.

The vulnerability was discovered by Jose Rodriguez, the same person that found a similar lock screen bypass method in iOS 6 earlier this year. When Apple patched that vulnerability, he found another method within an hour of downloading the update.