A woman waits in line to buy an Apple iPad at an Apple reseller retail shop during the launch of the devise in Hong Kong on Friday, July 23, 2010.Vincent Yu/The Associated Press
A newly discovered vulnerability in the software that runs Apple Inc.'s iPad and iPhone could allow hackers to remotely enslave the popular mobile devices, a security firm warned on Tuesday.
The flaw, which affects Apple's iOS that also runs the iPod touch, could allow hackers "to take complete control of a vulnerable device," French security firm Vupen reported on its website.
Company spokeswoman Natalie Harrison said the company was aware of the report.
"We're investigating," she said.
The vulnerability in iOS is the latest in a series of security bugs identified in mobile devices over the past week. Security experts at a hacking conference last week pointed out several vulnerabilities in Google Inc's operating system for mobile phones and tablet PCs.
Vupen said attackers would need to trick a user into visiting a malicious website planted with a tainted PDF document before infecting an iPad tablet of iPhone smart phone.