A flaw has been found in Windows Phone devices which lets attackers disable the messaging hub on the phone by sending a text.
WinRumors reports that when the phone receives this malicious SMS message, the device will reboot. The messaging hub will then not open no matter how many times the user tries to activate it. The same thing happens if the message is sent through Facebook chat or Windows Live Messenger.
It also affects other aspects of the OS, such as if a pinned friend posts a message on Facebook, the device will lock up once his or her live tile updates. However, this can be amended by removing the pinned friend immediately after booting up the phone right before the bug occurs.
The flaw does not appear to be specific to any single device, meaning it is possibly an issue with the software.
We’ve reached out to Microsoft for a statement on the flaw.
