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New iOS 9.0.2 update fixes iPhone lock screen bypass flaw

The new software includes fixes for iMessage activation and cellular data issues.
Written by Zack Whittaker, Contributor
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(Image: ZDNet/CBS Interactive)

There's a new software update for iPhones and iPads out -- the second minor iteration of iOS 9 in as many weeks.

Apple has squashed a number of lingering bugs in the new iOS 9.0.2 update, released Wednesday, including fixes for iMessage activation problems, issues with iCloud backups, and an ongoing bug with cellular data settings.

Apps, notably Podcasts, have also been improved.

On the security side of things, there was one security fix, according to the iOS 9.0.2 release notes: a flaw in the lock screen that allowed unauthorized access to photos and contacts, without the user's passcode.

The reported "dead simple" lock screen bypass was published last week. Anyone with physical access to the device could gain access through the lock screen if Siri was available.

iPhone user Jose Rodriguez, who also found a flaw two years ago in iOS 7, noted in a tweet that the bypass still was present in iOS 9.0.1, released just a few days later. Rodriguez later confirmed the flaw was fixed in iOS 9.0.2.

If you haven't already been notified of the new software, you can get the update now through the Settings menu.

For privacy and security, change these iOS 9 settings right now

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