Hardware Exploit 'usbliter8' Targets Older iPhones Apple Cannot Patch

Executive Briefing

• Affects iPhones with A12/A13 chips including XR, XS, and iPhone 11 series via USB during startup
• Exploits a BootROM vulnerability, meaning Apple cannot fix it with a standard software update
• Requires physical USB access to execute, ruling out remote attacks via apps, texts, or websites
• Researchers note A13-chip devices are harder to exploit, but still technically vulnerable
• Advise users to avoid connecting affected iPhones to unknown USB ports or untrusted accessories