If you own an iPhone 7 or Galaxy S8, you may want to check for updates. This week, Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) hosted its annual Pwn2Own contest in Tokyo as researchers from around the world gathered to show exploits on the iPhone 7, Samsung S8, and Huawei Mate 9 Pro.
This year’s event yielded 32 different vulnerabilities and awarded $515,000 in payments to researchers.
Qihoo 360 Security exposed a vulnerability where hackers could use Wi-Fi to execute code on an iPhone 7. They also were able to exploit Safari through a bug in the browser and one in system services.
Tencent Keen Security Lab exposed a troubling Wi-Fi exploit where hackers could use a series of bugs to gain execution and escalate privilege on the iPhone 7 to install a rogue app. The app remained on the device even after a restart.
Fluorescence (Richard Zhu) exploited a bug in the iPhone 7’s Safari browser with an out-of-bounds bug to escape the browser’s sandbox and execute code on the phone.
MWR Labs exposed a serious vulnerability on the Samsung Galaxy S8. The researchers used 11 vulnerabilities across six different applications to execute code and pull data from the device. This magnitude of bugs allowed the researchers to continue exploiting the phone even after a reboot.
Qihoo 360 Security used the Samsung internet browser on the Galaxy S8 to run code and then leveraged a privilege escalation in a Samsung application that persisted through a device reboot.
MWR Labs used a series of five bugs in different Huawei applications to escape the Google Chrome browser sandbox and remove data from a Huawei Mate 9 Pro.
Tencent Keen Security used a Huawei Mate 9 Pro to showcase the most devastating vulnerability during the contest. The researchers were able to execute a baseband attack on the device and execute code on the broadband processor. They were then able to modify the device’s International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), something that could cause huge disruptions if it was done in the wild. This was the first broadband exploit ever submitted to ZDI.
Each year ZDI holds the Pwn2Own contest not only to show device exploits but to give vendors an opportunity to fix them. Exploits are provided to vendors, which are able to ask researchers directly any questions they may have. ZDI then gives the vendor 90 days to correct the issue. If the vendor is unable or does not fix the issue or provide a reasonable statement as to why the vulnerability is not fixed, ZDI publishes an advisory with additional details about the exploits in an effort to protect the public.
Are you tired of paying for streaming services you never watch just to get a phone plan feature you actually want? T-Mobile has good news for you! The carrier is rolling out new plans, called T-Mix, in early November to replace its old Experience lineup with a build-your-own perks system called Picks.
The benefits you choose vary from streaming and gaming to food delivery, AI, satellite service, and phone discounts. But if you are satisfied with your existing plan, you can keep it.
Merely days after the iPhone Duo hit the shelves, images of broken screens on the phone started popping up across social media. Until now, it’s been unclear what’s causing the line of defective pixels that appears vertically along the crease, as well as horizontally, on the phone’s inner display.
Apple has finally acknowledged the issue, which has shown up on iPhone Duo units owned by customers as well as demo units in stores. In a statement shared with Bloomberg, Apple says that not all iPhone Duo units are affected and that those that are tend to show the display fault early on. The company added that users who experience problems with their iPhone Duo display should contact AppleCare for a replacement.
Not long ago, Apple treated independent repair like an act of outright hostility. The Cupertino giant locked down parts with serial-number pairing, while repair tools remained firmly out of reach of anyone outside its authorized repair network. More importantly, the company waged a legal and lobbying battle against right-to-repair legislation.
I've covered enough of these fights over the years to know what a shift looks like. That's why what happened in October 2026 genuinely caught me off guard. The day the iPhone Duo went on sale, what may be the most mechanically complex iPhone to date, Apple pulled off a surprising about-face. It published teardown-style repair manuals for a handful of major components.