Charles Guillemet, Chief Technology Officer at Ledger, has alerted cryptocurrency holders to the risks of storing sensitive wallet information on iPhones. Highlighting the rising accessibility of vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers to leak critical data, Guillemet emphasized the growing threat landscape.
Security Flaws in Focus After Notable Warning
In a statement made via X, Guillemet noted that some security vulnerabilities, once expensive to exploit, are now becoming easier to target. He urged users not to store any valuable data on their phones, especially seed phrases for crypto wallets, which should be kept off mobile devices.
Charles Guillemet emphasized that keeping sensitive information on phones is increasingly risky, particularly advising against storing crypto recovery phrases on mobile devices.
This caution follows a preceding announcement from Binance regarding a critical security issue in Apple’s iOS operating system. Binance identified the flaw, nicknamed worse_query, which could enable malicious apps to access files belonging to other applications on the same device.
Binance reported that this vulnerability affects iOS versions 26.7.1, 27.0.1, and 27.2. Thus, wallet recovery phrases, private keys, and login details stored locally may be at risk if exposed. The exchange stressed that the issue extends beyond its own application, potentially impacting the broader crypto ecosystem.
Advised Actions for Crypto Users
Binance recommended deleting apps downloaded from untrusted sources, updating operating systems, and avoiding unauthorized software installations. For users believing their wallets might be compromised, it advised transferring assets to new wallets set up on clean devices. Binance is recognized as one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges.
Binance advised users doubting their wallet security to move funds to new wallets created on clean devices.
Apple released new security updates on November 9, although it remains unclear if these patches fully resolve the exposed vulnerability. No direct incidents tied to this flaw resulting in theft of crypto assets have been confirmed at this time.
Renewed Attention on Ledger’s Recent Security Incident
Guillemet’s comments arrive approximately a month after a significant security incident concerning Ledger’s hardware wallets. In October, the company acknowledged tampered Ledger devices distributed through its Southeast Asian distributor, CryptoBilis.
According to Ledger’s investigation, attackers inserted sophisticated hardware add-ons into original devices. These setups could capture the 24-word recovery phrase displayed during the initial set-up of Ledger wallets and send it to attackers via a cellular connection. Blockchain researchers estimated that this incident might have resulted in losses exceeding $86 million, although Ledger has not verified the total amount.
