A couple days back, we saw Apple release iOS 6.1.2, taking care of the buggy support for Microsoft Exchange servers that had popped up recently. While that was great to see arrive, we were left wondering what happened to the expected fix for the lock screen bypass hack that had been uncovered last week. We were hoping to see another quick release, but now it’s looking like we might have to wait a little while before that fix goes public, as it’s just been implemented in the new iOS 6.1.3 beta.

Apple released iOS 6.1.3 beta 2 to developers today (after the recent release renumbering, having skipped 6.1.3 beta 1) and it indeed includes this fix for the lock screen issue. While there’s no certainty, its arrival in this manner means that we’ll likely see it continue to be a beta-only exclusive through the next few cycles until Apple gets around to bringing iOS 6.1.3 public.

That’s not the end of the world, since the hack is a little tricky to pull off, and while it can give an attacker access to your contacts and photos, it’s not quite a full-on way to unlock the phone to regular functionality. For now, just keep an eye on your phone if you’re feeling a bit paranoid.

Source: 9to5 Mac