Security News > 2021 > June > iPhone bug breaks WiFi when you join hotspot with unusual name
A new iPhone bug has come to light that breaks your iPhone's wireless functionality by merely connecting to a specific WiFi hotspot.
Once triggered, the bug would render your iPhone unable to establish a WiFi connection, even if it is rebooted or the WiFi hotspot is renamed.
A bug like this could be exploited by malicious actors planting rogue WiFi hotspots in popular areas to bork iPhone devices connecting to them.
"After joining my personal WiFi with the SSID '%p%s%s%s%s%n', my iPhone permanently disabled it's WiFi functionality. Neither rebooting nor changing SSID fixes it :~)," tweeted Schou.
A bug like this is serious, considering malicious actors could plant rogue WiFi hotspots in popular areas to bork iPhone devices that connect to them.
Although restarting your iPhone won't fix the issue, this bug is not permanent and can be fixed without resetting your entire device.