Researchers disclose an exploit dubbed “usbliter8” that can hijack the boot process on certain Apple devices, according to multiple outlets. The flaw is reported to affect older iPhones equipped with A12 and A13 chips, and it may also impact other Apple products, including Apple Watches with similar hardware or components. The described attack targets a deep, hardware-level stage of the device startup sequence rather than an application or operating-system component.
Both sources say the exploit requires access to a device via USB, indicating an attacker would need physical connection for the attempted compromise. Because the issue involves the early boot chain, the reporting states there is effectively nothing Apple can do to fully remediate the problem through software updates alone. The disclosure highlights the limitations of patching when the affected functionality is tied to low-level boot behavior.
The reports focus on the exploit’s technical scope and the requirement for USB access, describing it as a security concern for affected models rather than a widespread vulnerability across all Apple devices.
