iPhone lock-screen exploit reportedly fixed in iOS 4.2 GM

The iPhone lock-screen exploit that allowed unauthorized access to various aspects of the smartphone without the passcode being entered has seemingly been addressed in the latest iOS 4.2 gold master candidate.  BGR has been attempting to replicate the exploit on a device running the newest 4.2 developer release, with no success.

The exploit allows access to the contacts list, together with the ability to send emails and other messages, by entering a false emergency call number and then pressing the sleep and end-call keys simultaneously.  What remains to be seen is how quickly Apple can push out the updated iOS 4.2 version to users; iOS 4.1's public release happened a week after developers had access.