Smart Cover Allows Anyone To ‘Break Into’ Your iPad 2

Those of you with an iPad 2 might want to be aware of a crazy security bug pointed out by 9to5Mac. Apparently anyone with a smart cover can break into your iPad 2, even if you’ve locked it with a password! Here what you need to know (and how to fix it!)

iOS contains a security flaw in which unlocking your device using Apple’s Smart Cover reveals whatever information was on the screen when your iPad went to sleep, which could let an unauthorized get an eyeful they weren’t meant to see.

Unlocking your iPad in this way doesn’t grant full access to the iPad 2, but it could easily reveal your mail, message, or contacts, or grant full access to Mobile Safari, all of which could put your information at risk. The issue can be recreated in the following way:

• Lock a passcode enabled iPad 2
• Hold down power button until it reaches the shutoff slider screen
• Close Smart Cover
• Open Smart Cover
• Click cancel

So far, the only fix for this is to completely disable smart cover locking by opening up Settings, selecting the General tab, and then turning off the toggle that reads “iPad Cover Lock / Unlock. A video showing the issue is embedded below:

J. Glenn Künzler

Glenn is Managing Editor at MacTrast, and has been using a Mac since he bought his first MacBook Pro in 2006. He lives in a small town in Utah, enjoys bacon more than you can possibly imagine, and is severely addicted to pie.