CNET

Apple says it plans to fix the exploit that lets users gain access to a passcode-locked iPhone even if they don't know the access code.

"Apple takes user security very seriously," the company said in a statement provided to CNET. "We are aware of this issue, and will deliver a fix in a future software update."

The company did not offer a timeline of when such an update would arrive, or offer guidance on any interim way to secure devices.

The hack, published last month by a YouTube user, surfaced earlier today and opens up access to the phone application to listen to a user's voice mails, place calls, and view contact information. Attempting to go beyond that sends users back to the passcode screen.

Apple's last update to iOS was 6.1.1 earlier this week, which was a supplemental update only for iPhone 4S users that fixed an issue with cellular connectivity and reliability. All other eligible users can update to 6.1, which added 4G LTE support for more carriers on Apple's newest devices, along with a feature that lets users purchase movie tickets from Fandango after finding showtimes using Siri.