❤ Serious FaceTime Bug Allows Eavesdropping of Microphone on iPhone & Mac, Here’s How to Protect Yourself

 

 

A serious privacy bug has been discovered in FaceTime for iOS and MacOS that allows remote eavesdropping on another persons iPhone or Mac, even if they don’t pick up and answer the FaceTime call. Essentially this means that anyone can remotely listen to the microphone of a targeted iPhone or Mac by a remarkably simple process.

 

 

 

 

Below we’ll show you how you can test and reproduce the FaceTime eavesdropping microphone bug yourself, and we’ll also show you how to protect yourself from the FaceTime remote microphone / video access bug by turning off FaceTime on Mac, iPhone, and iPad.

Note: it appears that only iOS and macOS versions that support Group FaceTime are impacted by this bug, thus anything earlier than iOS 12.1 or macOS 10.14.1 is likely not effected. Apple is also apparently aware of the bug and will be releasing security patches later in the week.

How to Reproduce FaceTime Eavesdropping Bug & Remotely Listen to iPhone or Mac

 

1. Start a FaceTime call with someone
2. While the FaceTime call is ringing, tap the three dots or swipe up from the bottom of the screen to access the Group FaceTime feature
3. Tap on “Add Person” and add your own phone number as the contact person to add to the FaceTime call
4. The recipients iPhone or Mac will begin transmitting audio to you, even if they don’t answer the call

Going further, if the target presses the Power button on their iPhone, apparently it will start transmitting video as well.

What a lovely security bug! Not really, this is exceptionally bad. So obviously the question is how to protect yourself, which for now means disabling FaceTime completely.

 

How to Protect from FaceTime Eavesdropping Bug

Currently you can protect yourself or impacted devices from the remote FaceTime eavesdropping microphone / video camera bug by turning off FaceTime on the impacted devices. Here’s how to do that on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

 

How to Disable FaceTime on iPhone and iPad

• Open Settings on iPhone or iPad and go to “FaceTime”
• Toggle the setting for “FaceTime” to OFF

 

 

 

 

 

How to Disable FaceTime on Mac

• Open FaceTime, then pull down the ‘FaceTime’ menu and choose “Turn FaceTime Off”

 

 

 

 

 

High-security minded Mac users who had previously either installed OverSight to detect camera and microphone activity on their Mac or disabled the Mac FaceTime camera completely should also be immune from the bug, though it’s possible that audio transmission could occur in the latter scenario.

If you have recently received a FaceTime call that you didn’t answer and you are concerned you are being listened to or watched remotely, simple turn off FaceTime or reboot your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and then turn off FaceTime.

As mentioned before, the remote eavesdropping microphone / video camera FaceTime bug appears to be related to the Group FaceTime feature which was introduced in iOS 12.1 for iPhone and iPad and macOS 10.14.1 for Mac. In testing, we were not able to reproduce the bug when trying to connect to iPhone, Mac, or iPad that were running earlier iOS or MacOS system software versions.

The bug was apparently first publicized on Snapchat and Twitter by user @bmmanski where a short casual video is demonstrating the remote microphone access, that video was later noticed by 9to5mac and other tech and mainstream press. It’s possible this security flaw was known by others before this, however.

According to Axios, Apple will be releasing an update later in the week to resolve the bug. Until then, you might want to consider disabling FaceTime on any impacted iPhone, iPad, Mac, iPod touch. – https://is.gd/Lctvye

❤ How to Make Group FaceTime Calls from Mac

 

 

Group FaceTime video chat allows for up to 32 participants to be engaged in the same active video conference, as long as those people are on a Mac, iPhone, or iPad, running the latest versions of macOS or iOS system software. We’ve discussed making Group FaceTime video calls from the iPhone and iPad before, and so this tutorial is going to cover making the Group FaceTime video calls from a Mac.

Group FaceTime requires modern versions of system software to function, including MacOS Mojave 10.14.1 or later for Mac, and iOS 12.1 or later for iPhone or iPad. That includes both the Mac making a FaceTime group video call, as well as the recipients devices or Macs. The other members of the Group FaceTime video chat can be using any compatible Mac, iPhone, or iPad. If the recipients do not have sufficient system software versions they will not be able to join the FaceTime Group call.

How to Start a Group FaceTime Call on Mac

Beginning a Group FaceTime call from a Mac is quite simple:

• Open the “FaceTime” app on the Mac

 

 

• Enter a contacts name, phone number, or email address of the person(s) you want to Group FaceTime, separated by commas or after selecting each individually from the Contacts match

 

 

 

• Click the green “Video” button to begin the Group FaceTime video chat

 

 

 

The participants of the Group FaceTime call will each be called and are able to join, all showing on screen.

 

 

 

 

The following picture from Apple shows what an active Group FaceTime call on the Mac looks like with some wonderfully staged stock photo-esque people:

You can hang up the FaceTime Group video call at any time by clicking on the red (X) button.

 

How to Add Additional People to Group FaceTime on Mac

Want to add another person or several additional contacts to an existing Group FaceTime chat? That’s easy too. While you’re on an active Group FaceTime call, simply do the following:

1. In the lower left corner of an active FaceTime window, click to show the sidebar in FaceTime on Mac
2. Click the “Add Person +” button in the left side
3. Now enter the person(s) contact name, email address, or phone number, then click the green “Add” button to add them to the Group FaceTime call

Anyone can hang up from a Group FaceTime call by pressing the red “X” button as usual.

Remember, all participants and invited recipients of the Group FaceTime video chats must be using compatible versions of MacOS and iOS system software to have access to this group video chat feature.

– https://is.gd/qKsKJE

❤ How to Use Group FaceTime on iPhone & iPad

 

 

The iPhone and iPad now have the ability to make Group FaceTime video calls, where you can have up to 32 people participating in a group video chat.

Let’s walk through how to start a Group FaceTime video chat on the iPhone and iPad, and also demonstrate how to add people to an existing FaceTime video chat to turn that into a group video chat in iOS.

Note: Group FaceTime video is limited to iPhone 6s or newer, iPad Pro or newer, iPad Air 2 or newer, and iPad Mini 4 or newer, and those devices must be running iOS 12.1 or later. However, users with other iOS 12.1 supported devices can still join a Group FaceTime call, but they will be limited to audio capabilities only. Aside from those limitations, you’ll also need to be sure that FaceTime is enabled on your iOS device, and that whatever recipients you’re video chatting with also have FaceTime enabled and that their devices are up to date and compatible with FaceTime group video chat.

How to Start a Group FaceTime Video Chat on iPhone or iPad

 

You can start a new Group FaceTime video chat at any time from iOS with multiple participants, here’s how:

• Open the FaceTime app in iOS if you have not done so already

 

 

• Tap the “+” plus button in the upper right corner of the FaceTime app

 

 

• Add the contacts you want to join a Group FaceTime video call with *, you can add up to 32 people
• Tap on “Video” to start the Group FaceTime video chat

 

 

This approach will ring all of the video chat participants who then join directly to the same group FaceTime video call.

Anyone (yourself included) can disconnect and hangup on the group FaceTime video chat by tapping the big red x button on the screen.

How to Add More People to Existing FaceTime Video Chat on iPhone or iPad

 

You can also turn a regular FaceTime video chat into a Group FaceTime video chat, or add more people to an existing FaceTime video call, by adding people to a currently active FaceTime Call:

• From an active FaceTime conversation, tap the screen so that options are shown
• Now tap on the “(…)” three period gray button

 

 

• Tap on “+ Add Person” from the additional options, then add the contact(s) you’d like to add into the existing current FaceTime video chat*

 

 

This method is convenient particularly if you’re on a current FaceTime video call and decide you want to bring in another person, or group of people. You can have up to 32 people total in a group FaceTime video chat this way.

 

 

 

Hanging up a Group FaceTime video call is the same as disconnecting any other FaceTime call, just tap the red (X) button to hangup the call.

* Recall that all participants of the Group FaceTime video chat must be using a compatible device and have iOS 12.1 or later on their iPhone or iPad, or macOS Mojave 10.14.1 or later on their Mac. If their device is not compatible with group video chat, but compatible with iOS 12.1 or later generally, then they’ll instead join as an audio stream.

It’s also noteworthy to point out thatflipping the FaceTime camera in iOS 12 and iOS 12.1 is tucked behind the “(…)” triple dot gray button, though that method has changed in iOS 12.1.1 onward and now the switch camera button is back on the main FaceTime screen, so if you’re on a video call and want to switch the camera then you’ll need to access the additional FaceTime options screen.

You can also start group FaceTime video chats from a group text message (or single video calls for that matter from a single message thread) directly from the Messages app of iOS, just remember that accessing FaceTime video form Messages via the “Details” info button in Messages for iOS 12 is now hidden behind the users name at the top of a message conversation thread. – https://is.gd/dAsBD9

❤ How to Flip FaceTime Camera in iOS 12 on iPhone or iPad

 

 

How do you flip the FaceTime Camera in iOS 12? Where did the Flip camera button go in FaceTime for iOS 12? You’re probably not the only person wondering the answer to these questions.

FaceTime video chat is very popular amongst iPhone and iPad users, and a common component of many FaceTime video conversations involves flipping the camera around so that whoever you are FaceTiming with can see things with either the front or rear cameras. Switching the FaceTime camera used to be really easy and obvious with a nearly always visible Flip Camera button on screen in iOS during FaceTime chats, but iOS 12 has changed that. Flipping the FaceTime camera is still possible in iOS 12 but it is a slower process now that is hidden behind other options in the FaceTime app.

We’ll show you the steps necessary to flip the FaceTime Camera in iOS 12, on either an iPhone or iPad.

 

How to Flip FaceTime Camera in iOS 12 for iPhone or iPad

 

Can’t find the ‘flip camera’ button in iOS 12 FaceTime? Here is where to look and how to switch the cameras at any time during a FaceTime video call:

• During an active FaceTime video chat (or during the call to initiate a FaceTime chat), tap on the screen
• Tapping on the FaceTime screen will reveal a few additional buttons like mute and hangup, but no “Flip Camera” setting, so instead tap on the three dots button that looks like “(…)”

 

 

 

 

• This will reveal an additional control panel of FaceTime buttons, including the now hidden “Flip” camera button in FaceTime for iOS 12
• Tap the “flip” button to switch the FaceTime camera

 

 

 

 

You can access the hidden Flip camera button anytime during a FaceTime video call, just remember to tap the screen first, then tap the “…” triple dot circle button, then tap on “flip”. Once you do it a few times it’ll stick with you.

The “Flip” button will switch the FaceTime camera to either the front facing or the rear facing camera, depending on which camera is actively in use. Typically FaceTime calls start off using the front-facing camera, so tapping “Flip” would switch the camera to the rear-facing camera. Of course you can tap it again to switch the cameras again and flip them at any time.

It may feel a little cumbersome to access the “Flip” camera feature in FaceTime for iOS 12, and given the frequency of flipping the camera around during FaceTime video chat, it wouldn’t be too surprising if Apple made a change to this control panel in a future iOS software update to make the “Flip” camera button more visible and more accessible. But that change may not happen to, so for now all iPhone and iPad users who regularly use FaceTime video chat will want to learn how to flip the camera in iOS 12 FaceTime calls using the method described.

Enjoy using FaceTime, and flip that camera however you want! – https://is.gd/vfFNIK