Windows Phone Mango SMS attack disables messaging hub and forces reboot

A new attack has been discovered that is focused on Windows Phone devices. The attack is an SMS message that forces the WinPo device to reboot and disables the messaging hub on the phone. Apparently, the entire range is susceptible to the SMS hack that only requires the attacked send an SMS message.

Once the SMS is received and the device reboots the messaging hub won't open for users no matter how many times they try. Winrumros reports that it has tested the attack on a couple photo and found that it works for sure on the HTC Titan and Samsung Focus Flash. The attack is not device specific and exploits some sort of flaw in the way the Mango OS handles messages.

The flaw can be exploited when a Facebook chat message or Windows Live Messenger message is sent to someone as well. Apparently, the flaw can even be exploited if a user has a friend on Facebook pinned to a live tile and that friend posts a message. That Facebook message can trigger the exploit. Check out the video for a demo of the exploit in action.

[via Winrumors]