Technology
Is Apple Intelligence on your iPhone really secure?
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Apple has spent years telling us that privacy starts on the device. For many users, that message feels reassuring. Your messages, photos, emails and app data sit in your hand, protected by Face ID, passcodes and Apple’s security layers. Now, new research gives Apple’s on-device AI a reality check.
Researchers with RSAC Research found a way to manipulate Apple Intelligence using prompt injection, adversarial prompts and Unicode tricks. In 100 tests, they reported a 76% success rate against the on-device model used by Apple Intelligence. The researchers disclosed the findings to Apple on October 15, 2025. Apple later hardened protections in iOS 26.4 and macOS 26.4, according to RSAC.
Here’s the part that should get your attention: this kind of attack may not require someone to steal your iPhone, crack your passcode or break into Apple’s servers. It could start with carefully crafted text that tricks the AI into doing something you never asked it to do. If your phone’s AI can read, summarize, rewrite or help apps take action, attackers will try to trick it into doing things you never intended.
Apple Intelligence runs many AI tasks directly on your iPhone, but new research shows hidden prompts can still try to manipulate how it responds. (Getty Images)
So what can you do? Start by understanding how this attack works, why Apple patched it and which settings can lower your risk.
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What researchers found in Apple Intelligence
RSAC researchers tested the on-device large language model built into Apple’s operating systems. That’s important because third-party apps can access Apple Intelligence through system tools and APIs.
Their attack used two main techniques. The first, called Neural Exec, used strange-looking prompts designed to confuse the model and push it toward a specific response. The second used Unicode’s right-to-left override feature. That feature can make text appear in a different direction, which may help hide malicious instructions from filters while still influencing the model.
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In simple terms, the attack tried to sneak instructions past Apple’s AI safeguards. The prompts may look meaningless to you and me. Yet the model may still interpret them as commands. That is where the risk grows. Apple Intelligence can connect to apps and system features. So a manipulated response could do more than produce a strange answer. In a worst-case scenario, attackers could try to manipulate data or functions available to an Apple Intelligence-enabled app, especially if that app has access to sensitive information.
Why Apple Intelligence prompt injection matters
Prompt injection is one of the biggest security problems facing AI tools. It happens when attackers hide instructions inside text that an AI model later reads. Think about a suspicious email, a strange document or a webpage with hidden text. You may see one thing. The AI model may process something else.
That creates a new kind of risk. An attacker may not need to break into your iPhone. They may only need to get a carefully crafted message, file or app input in front of the AI model.
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If an app asks Apple Intelligence to summarize that content, rewrite it or act on it, the hidden prompt could try to steer the response. For you, that means AI safety now depends on more than strong passwords and software updates. It also depends on how well AI tools handle hostile instructions.
How Apple Intelligence works on your iPhone
Apple Intelligence uses a hybrid design. Some tasks run directly on your iPhone, iPad or Mac. More complex requests may move through Apple’s Private Cloud Compute system.
Apple has framed that setup as a privacy-focused alternative to cloud-only AI tools. That approach makes sense. Keeping more processing on your device can reduce how much personal data leaves your phone.
However, local AI does not automatically mean risk-free AI. RSAC’s research shows that deeper system access can create a larger attack surface. The more Apple Intelligence connects with apps and system features, the more important the guardrails become.
A simple writing tool carries one level of risk. An AI tool that understands personal context and works across apps carries a higher one.
Why this Apple AI security flaw raises concerns
The concern here goes beyond strange chatbot responses. Apple Intelligence can connect directly to apps through system-level tools. That means manipulated responses could affect how an app behaves. Researchers said the model could be pushed into generating offensive or unintended responses. They also warned that attackers could potentially manipulate data and functionality available to an affected Apple Intelligence-enabled app.
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RSAC estimated that between 100,000 and 1 million users may already be using apps with potential exposure. That estimate was based on apps Apple had identified as using the on-device LLM and RSAC’s rough calculations from App Store review data. That does not mean criminals are actively using this exact attack right now. RSAC said there was no public evidence of active exploitation when the research appeared. Still, the high success rate makes the findings hard to ignore.
What Apple has done about the iPhone AI risk
RSAC shared its findings with Apple before making the research public. According to RSAC, Apple hardened the affected systems against this attack in iOS 26.4 and macOS 26.4. Apple has not publicly detailed every change. That is common with security fixes, since companies often avoid giving attackers a roadmap.
The research appears to be a proof of concept, not a known active attack against everyday users. The most important takeaway for users is simple: keep your devices updated. Security patches only help if they reach your phone. If you delay updates for weeks or months, you may miss protections that close known gaps.
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Ways to stay safe with Apple Intelligence
You do not need to stop using Apple Intelligence, but you should treat it like any powerful phone feature: keep it updated, limit what it can access, and stay careful with unfamiliar content.
1) Update your iPhone, iPad and Mac
Start with the easiest protection. Make sure your device runs the latest software.
On iPhone: Settings > General > Software Update
On Mac: Click the Apple menu in the upper-left corner of your screen > System Settings > General > Software Update
Turn on automatic updates when possible. That helps your device receive security fixes as soon as Apple releases them.
Researchers say crafted text and Unicode tricks helped bypass Apple Intelligence safeguards in tests, raising concerns about apps that connect to the on-device AI model. (Kena Betancur/Bloomberg)
2) Review your Apple Intelligence settings
If you do not use certain Apple Intelligence features, consider turning them off or limiting them. This can reduce how often AI tools interact with your apps, messages, summaries and personal content.
On iPhone: Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri
From there, review which features are enabled. Turn off anything you do not need.
3) Be selective with AI-powered apps
Do not give every app access to sensitive information just because it offers an AI feature. Before installing an app, check the developer, reviews and privacy details. Also, ask yourself whether the app really needs access to your messages, files, photos or contacts. If the answer feels unclear, skip it.
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4) Watch what you ask AI to summarize
Prompt injection can hide inside content that looks harmless. That could include emails, webpages, documents, notes or copied text. Be careful when asking AI to summarize unfamiliar content. A malicious file could contain hidden instructions meant for the AI rather than you.
5) Review app permissions
Take a few minutes to check which apps can access your private data.
On iPhone: Settings > Privacy & Security
Then review categories such as Photos, Contacts, Location Services, Microphone and Files. Remove access when an app no longer needs it.
6) Avoid pasting sensitive details into AI tools
Keep your most sensitive information out of AI prompts when possible. That includes Social Security numbers, banking details, tax documents, medical records and passwords. AI can help with many tasks. It should not become a dumping ground for your private life.
7) Delete apps you no longer use
Unused apps can put your data at risk. If you downloaded an app months ago and forgot about it, remove it.
On iPhone: Touch and hold the app > Remove App > Delete App > Delete
The fewer apps you keep, the fewer ways your personal data can move around.
8) Add strong antivirus software
Strong antivirus software adds another layer of protection against malicious links, scam websites, infected downloads and phishing attacks that may try to steal your personal information. While antivirus software will not directly stop every AI prompt injection risk, it can help block threats before they reach your device or trick you into handing over sensitive data.
The best antivirus software can also warn you about suspicious emails, dangerous attachments and fake websites. That extra protection becomes more important as scammers use AI to make attacks look more convincing. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com
9) Consider identity theft protection
Identity theft protection will not stop a prompt injection attack. Still, it can help if your personal information gets exposed or misused. A good identity theft protection service can monitor your personal data, alert you to suspicious activity and help you respond if someone tries to open accounts or use your identity. As AI tools become more integrated with apps and personal data, that extra monitoring can provide another layer of protection. See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at Cyberguy.com
10) Use stronger iPhone security settings
Keep Face ID or Touch ID enabled. Use a strong passcode instead of a simple four-digit code. Also, turn on Stolen Device Protection if your iPhone supports it.
On iPhone: Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Enter your passcode if prompted > Stolen Device Protection
This will not stop prompt injection by itself. However, it adds another layer if someone gets physical access to your phone.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Apple Intelligence still has a strong privacy story. Running more AI tasks on your iPhone and using Private Cloud Compute for tougher requests gives Apple a real advantage over many cloud-only AI tools. But this research is a reminder that private does not always mean untouchable. If an AI model can read prompts, summarize content and connect with apps, attackers will look for ways to bend it to their advantage. For you, the takeaway is simple. Keep your devices updated, be selective about AI-powered apps and think twice before letting AI process sensitive information. Apple can build strong walls around your data, but you still decide what you invite inside.
Keeping your iPhone updated, limiting app access and being careful with unfamiliar content can help reduce your risk as AI becomes more deeply built into your device. (Sebastian Kahnert/Picture Alliance)
Would you trust an AI assistant more because it runs on your iPhone, or does deeper access to your personal data make you more cautious? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Apple is working on a “revamped” version of its entry-level MacBook Pro that it could launch as soon as the first half of 2027, Bloomberg reports. The company is also testing four new iPad Pros that are set to launch in the spring with a focus on “internal improvements.”
The updated MacBook Pro, which will keep the 14-inch screen size, will have a design that’s “in line” with what Apple is planning for the touch screen MacBooks it also has in the works, Bloomberg says. Those new touch screen laptops are set to be released between “the end of this year and early next year,” and Bloomberg has previously reported that they will get a Dynamic Island-like pill at the top of the screen.
Apple last updated the base MacBook Pro in October with an M5 chip bump. The company is working on an M6 processor, and Bloomberg says that Apple “finished work months ago” a different base MacBook Pro upgrade that keeps the laptop’s present design and is scheduled to launch this year. Apple will quickly move to the M7 line in 2027, including new Pro and Max chips, Bloomberg previously reported.
As for the iPad Pros, Bloomberg says that they’ll retain 11-inch and 13-inch screens. Apple last updated the iPad Pro line last October with the M5 chip.
AI technology helps reunite lost pets with owners using Ring doorbell cameras
Meghan Joyce, CEO of Duckbill, explains how AI technology from companies like Ring is revolutionizing the search for lost pets. Owners can upload photos to a database that uses AI to match them with images from animal shelters and Ring doorbell camera footage. This advanced facial recognition tech aims to quickly reunite one in three pets that go missing in their lifetime, utilizing technology for community good.
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Ame thought Lucy might be hiding upstairs. The family’s kitten had missed dinner, which felt odd. Still, cats hide. They nap in strange places. Sometimes, they ignore everyone.
But when breakfast came the next morning, Lucy still did not show up. “When we fed dinner one night, and she didn’t come running, I thought maybe she was upstairs in the kids’ bedroom, but when we fed breakfast the next morning, she didn’t come running again, so then I knew for sure she wasn’t in the house,” Ame said.
That is when a normal morning in Dayton, Ohio, turned into a frantic search. Lucy was less than a year old. Ame’s two young children were devastated. And wherever Lucy had gone, her family knew she had already spent the night away from home.
“If she had been out all night, we were really worried,” Ame said. Ame’s daughter, Evi, felt that fear immediately. “I was really sad and cried a lot. It was really heartbreaking,” Evi said.
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PRO WRESTLING STAR KILLER KROSS SHARES SWEET, LIFE-ALTERING MOMENT WHEN A CAT CAME INTO HIS LIFE
A missing Ohio kitten survived a ride under the hood of a stranger’s car before AI photo-matching technology helped reunite her with her family in just over 24 hours. (Photo by Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage)
Ame uploaded Lucy’s photo and got a match
After the first wave of searching, Ame turned to Petco Love Lost. “I found out about Petco Love Lost through a friend of mine who also had a cat go missing. She said Petco Love Lost is a website where you can match from finders who have uploaded pictures of pets that they’ve found,” Ame said.
Ame created a lost pet profile and uploaded Lucy’s picture. The free nationwide database uses AI photo-matching technology to compare lost pet photos with found pet reports. Petco Love says the system looks at more than 500 visual markers to identify pets by features that stay with them wherever they go.
Then came the lead Ame needed. “It was actually very easy and quick. It was only about 10 or 12 hours before I got a lead on where Lucy might be,” Ame said.
A finder had listed a cat who looked like Lucy as found. Soon after, Ame received a photo match alert.
The price surprised her, too. “I was really surprised that Petco Love Lost is not subscription-based like most things are. It’s completely free, so it’s accessible to everyone,” she said. For a family already scared and stressed, that free access made a big difference.
Lucy was found under a car hood
Then Ame learned where Lucy had gone. “She was stuck under the hood of somebody’s car. This person had driven to a shopping center across the highway, got out of their car and heard meowing and realized that the meowing was coming from under the hood of their car,” Ame said.
The driver got Lucy out safely. Thankfully, the kitten had not been hurt. The finder kept Lucy safe and uploaded her photo to Petco Love Lost as a found pet. That report connected with Ame’s lost pet profile.
From there, Ame could finally arrange the reunion her family had been hoping for. “I connected with the finder on Petco Love Lost and was able to message back and forth. We organized a time to meet up and we were just ecstatic, and overjoyed, and in shock that we actually found her and also that we found her so quickly and in such a short space of time. Having Lucy home is a relief,” Ame said. Ame’s family brought Lucy home a little more than 24 hours after she disappeared.
The reunion brought happy tears
For Ame’s children, Lucy’s return changed the whole mood in the house. Ame’s daughter, Evi, went from heartbreak to happy tears. “When she was found, my mom put her on my lap. I was having a little bit of some happy tears,” Evi said.
Then came the sentence every pet parent wants to hear after a scare like this. “When Lucy was found, I was so happy to have her back,” Evi said.
That is the kind of reunion that sticks with you. A tiny kitten vanished, rode under a car hood, crossed a highway and still made it home because a finder uploaded one photo.
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An Ohio family found their missing kitten after Petco Love Lost matched a photo uploaded by a good Samaritan who discovered Lucy under a car hood. (Photo credit should read Inna Borodayeva/ Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Why Petco Love Lost worked when the microchip did not
Lucy’s story also shows why lost pet searches need more than one safety step. The finder tried to get Lucy scanned for a microchip. But that did not solve the problem.
“The finder took her to scan the microchip, they couldn’t even find it, they couldn’t locate it. Petco Love Lost was literally the only link between us and Lucy to get her back,” Ame said.
That is important because many pet parents assume a microchip will always lead straight home. A microchip can help, but someone still needs access to a scanner. The chip also has to be found and connected to current contact details.
Petco Love Lost adds another option. Instead of relying only on tags or a scan, it uses a pet’s photo and physical features. Chelsea Staley, president of Petco Love, explains it this way: “Collars break, tags can fall off, and microchip scanners aren’t always immediately accessible. Petco Love Lost offers an additional layer of protection by using AI to recognize distinctive physical features that stay with pets wherever they go. You know your pet is one of a kind, and so does Petco Love Lost.” In Lucy’s case, that extra layer helped bring her back.
Why Lucy’s story matters during National Lost Pet Prevention Month
Lucy’s story hits at a time when many pet parents need the reminder. July is National Lost Pet Prevention Month. The month also brings holiday fireworks, which can scare pets and send them running. Petco Love says more pets go missing during the summer than during any other time of year, and fireworks help drive that spike. That makes Lucy’s story a good reminder to prepare before your pet bolts.
Petco Love encourages pet parents to register their pets on Petco Love Lost at petcolove.org/lost/register-pet/ while they are safe at home. Then, if something goes wrong, they can activate a search with a single click. Set it up before the fireworks start. Check it before guests come over. Take care of it before someone says, “I thought the cat was upstairs.”
What this means to you
A lost pet search can turn emotional really fast. You may be scared, tired and unsure where to start. Lucy’s story shows why preparation can help. Ame already had a clear photo of Lucy. She created a lost pet profile. Then a finder uploaded a found pet report, and the system connected them.
That does not mean you should skip collars, ID tags or microchips. Keep those in place. However, Petco Love Lost can give you another way to search when those tools do not work fast enough. The biggest lesson is timing. Registering your pet while everything is calm can save precious time later.
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A free AI-powered lost pet database helped an Ohio family reunite with their kitten after traditional microchip identification failed. (Photo by:Marco Simonini/REDA/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Kurt’s key takeaways
Lucy’s story could have ended badly. She slipped out, hid under a car hood and rode across a highway without the driver knowing she was there. Instead, one uploaded photo helped bring her home. Petco Love Lost matched Lucy’s image with Ame’s lost pet profile, and the family had her back in a little more than 24 hours. That to me is the reason this story is worth sharing. Technology can feel cold, but in this case, it helped a family get their kitten back.
Have you ever had a pet go missing, and what helped bring them home? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
NBCUniversal executives are about to find out whether Peacock will sink or swim in the streaming industry. Now that Comcast is planning to split NBCUniversal, Peacock, and Sky from its broadband and wireless businesses, Peacock will be forced to stand on its own — without the backing of a combined company that pulled in more than $123 billion last year.
In the years following its launch in 2020, Peacock was treated as an accessory to an Xfinity subscription. But once Xfinity stopped offering it as a perk and axed its free membership tier in 2023, it was a sign that Comcast believed Peacock had something worth paying for. But even with exclusive streams of the Olympics and live sports, like Sunday Night Football and the Big Ten games, Peacock still trails behind rival streamers today.
Peacock grew by just five million subscribers between March 2025 and March 2026, bringing it up to 46 million. Netflix’s more than 325 million subscribers easily eclipse Peacock’s user base. Even Disney Plus’s 132 million subscribers and HBO Max’s more than 140 million viewers make Peacock seem small in comparison. Part of that is because, unlike other major streamers, Peacock is only available in the US. Comcast co-CEO Mike Cavanagh said in March that the company doesn’t have plans for a global rollout of Peacock, but that may change as the soon-to-be standalone service scrambles for scale.
It’s also taking longer for Peacock to hop the hurdle of profitability — one of the biggest challenges for streamers. Peacock reported $2 billion in revenue in the first quarter of 2026. However, it experienced $432 million in losses, an increase from the $215 million it reported losing at the same time last year. But NBCUniversal media chairman Matt Strauss claims Peacock will become profitable in the current quarter, according to Deadline. “There’s not one way to approach a streaming strategy or market,” Strauss said during the Evercore Global TMT Conference last month. “Sometimes you have to play to your strengths, which is what we’ve been doing.”
It’s not clear how long Peacock can rely on live sports and reality TV to keep its service afloat. The service canceled its hit series Poker Face last year, leaving it without a tentpole series that makes Peacock worth subscribing to, like Severance on Apple TV or White Lotus on HBO Max. Though Comcast co-CEO Brian Roberts and Cavanagh told investors that the company’s split isn’t a setup for a merger or acquisition, it still seems like a possibility.
Peter Supino, a Wolfe Research analyst, said that he expects “one or both Comcast units to merge with peers or competitors,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. Media executives who spoke to Oliver Darcy for his Status newsletter are similarly doubtful about Roberts’ and Cavanagh’s M&A denials, with some insiders speculating that Netflix could make a bid for NBCUniversal’s assets. Either way, Peacock will need to do something more than just tread water, or else a competitor may just have to keep it from sinking.
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