Researchers demonstrated code execution on the ACE3 USB-C controller used in iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, using specialized hardware techniques. The demonstration does not establish mass compromise of iPhones, and the cited sources do not support the headline’s claim that millions of devices are affected.
What the researchers demonstrated
At the 38th Chaos Communication Congress on December 27, 2024, researcher stacksmashing described a hardware-focused attack that achieved code execution on Apple’s ACE3 USB-C controller. The official conference talk description says the work combined reverse engineering, RF side-channel analysis and electromagnetic fault injection. The team then dumped the controller’s ROM and analyzed its functionality.
The outline describes measuring electromagnetic activity to locate the moment the controller validated external-flash contents, then attempting a precisely timed fault so a modified patch could boot. It also describes using the HPM bus to execute a patched command and retrieve firmware data. This was a multi-step chip-research demonstration, not evidence that plugging in an ordinary malicious cable can reproduce the result.
What ACE3 does—and which phones are named
The CCC description says Apple introduced ACE3 with iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro. It describes ACE3 as a custom controller manufactured by Texas Instruments. Rather than only managing USB power delivery, it runs a USB stack and connects to internal device buses, making it a security-relevant component.
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HotHardware’s January 13, 2025 report describes the issue as applying to iPhone 15 and newer. The reviewed sources do not provide a complete model-by-model exposure list, so that broader scope should be treated as the news outlet’s account, not a verified Apple device list.
What the result does—and does not—show
Shown: code execution on the controller
The established result in the conference description is code execution on ACE3 in a research setting. Because the controller connects to internal buses, it may be a target for persistent firmware-implant research; the talk description presents that as a security concern worth considering.
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Not shown: mass compromise or a confirmed operating-system exploit
The conference description raises compromise of the main operating system through a modified controller as a possible downstream scenario. It does not say the researchers demonstrated that outcome on users’ phones, stole user data, or compromised devices at scale. HotHardware discussed possible user-data implications, but those possibilities should not be confused with the controller-level result.
Does “millions of devices” have a confirmed basis?
No affected-device count is established in either reviewed source. The conference page specifically names iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro; HotHardware says iPhone 15 and newer. Neither gives a sales-based calculation or a confirmed inventory of vulnerable models. The “millions” wording is therefore not a substantiated figure in these sources.
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Should iPhone owners take action?
The sources do not identify a consumer mitigation, an ordinary cable or adapter that prevents the demonstrated method, or an Apple security advisory addressing it. They also do not establish that routine iPhone owners face an active attack. The talk’s outline mentions reducing equipment costs to under $100, but that is the researchers’ stated goal for a reduced setup—not a verified current market price, a consumer product, or proof the process is easy to perform outside a lab.
HotHardware reported on January 13, 2025 that Apple had not officially commented at the time of publication. That dated statement does not establish Apple’s current position.
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