How to Prevent the ChaiOS Bugs on your iPhone

ChaiOS is an aptly named exploit that works via a link sent to the messages app. It exploits Messages app’s preview functionality to crash your iPhone. The link is just a webpage with too many characters. This exploit is particularly bad because all it takes is someone sending you a link. It can crash your iPhone even before you’ve had a chance to view or delete the message. How do you safeguard yourself from this exploit? Read on to find out.

Restrict the Link

The link was hosted on GitHub. So one way to prevent this is to use iOS’s Restrictions feature to block the link from ever loading in the first place.

Go to Settings -> General -> Restrictions and here tap on Enable Restrictions.

Now swipe down and find the Websites section. Here choose Limit Adult Content and in the Never Allow field, add GitHub.io.

Delete the Thread

If the message hasn’t started reloading in the background, you still have the time to block it. Just swipe left on the thread and delete the entire conversation.

Wait for Apple’s Fix

The issue will be fixed in the upcoming iOS 11.2.5 update that’s scheduled for next week. It should be available on Monday, the 22nd of January. Alternatively, if you’re already running the iOS 11.2 developer beta, you’re already running the fix.