November 6, 14:48TechCentral

Researcher discovers hidden list of words on iPhone keyboard that are not suggested by autocomplete

A researcher reported on Friday that Apple maintains an unpublished multilingual 'grey list' containing tens of thousands of words and phrases that the iOS keyboard will not automatically complete or suggest via swipe. This list is not a complete ban, as iPhone users can still manually type any text when composing messages and emails.

However, in most cases, words from this list will not appear in autocomplete suggestions or when using swipe-to-type functionality. This offers insight into how Apple balances preventing offensive or politically charged suggestions with predicting user intent.

Since hundreds of millions of people worldwide use iPhones, Apple's decisions about which words its keyboard suggests can subtly influence how they communicate. The researcher noted that Apple has not made this list public.

Composition and Discovery of the List

According to independent researcher Derek Kaufman, who recently discovered this list, the flagged words and phrases are predominantly vulgar, offensive, or related to drugs, sex, or violence. Nevertheless, the list also contains politically sensitive phrases, such as 'Trump dictator' and 'Sleepy Joe.'

In response to Kaufman's findings, Apple did not provide direct comments regarding the size or composition of its list, nor the reasons for flagging certain political terms. The company stated that iPhone users always have the ability to manually enter the desired words or phrases and can ignore predictive text suggestions. Apple emphasized that its keyboard is configured to avoid providing inappropriate or offensive prompts.

Kaufman stated that other phrases excluded from iOS predictive text functions include 'right-wing conspiracy,' 'Tibetan independence,' and 'United Ireland.' Other languages have their own lists of flagged words and phrases. For example, in Hindi, the keyboard prevents users from swipe-typing 'Modi bhagwart' or 'Rahul from Pappu,' which is criticism of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his main opponent Rahul Gandhi, respectively.

He also reported that French speakers cannot use swipe-to-type for the phrase 'immigration too high,' and Hebrew speakers cannot input 'occupied territories.' Kaufman clarified that 'every major language has its own version of this mechanism.'

Kaufman acknowledged that Apple's aim to prevent the accidental sending of indecent messages or provocative slogans is understandable. However, he pointed out inconsistencies in the application of this feature. For instance, he noticed that 'read smut' can be typed via swipe, whereas 'read gay smut' cannot.

'This is a very soft form of censorship,' Kaufman stated. 'But on Apple's scale, even light intervention can have a big impact.'

The researcher discovered this list in September after noticing that his swipe-to-type—sliding a finger across the keyboard instead of tapping each letter—'stuttered' on certain phrases like 'bad boy' or 'white man,' but not on 'bad girl' or 'black man.' Out of curiosity, Kaufman used a combination of OpenAI's Codex and Anthropic's Claude Code to find the reason and eventually stumbled upon a dataset stored 'deep within the core' of the Apple operating system. He estimated that the conservative count of grey words and phrases is around 100,000, excluding Chinese characters.

Reuters tested a small sample of these phrases on the iPhone and found that all of them were either difficult to swipe-type or were not suggested by autocomplete. Attempts to type 'United Ireland' or 'Tibetan independence' often resulted in 'United Iceland' or 'Tibetan independences.' The phrase 'White man' yielded 'white mean,' while 'red man' or 'blue man' were entered without issues. 'Sleepy Joe' turned into 'Sleepy hope.' 'Dictator Trump' could be swiped, but the word 'trump' appeared in lowercase, and the phrase was not suggested by autocomplete; instead, the keyboard suggested 'dictator trumps.' 'Read gay smut' produced 'Read gay Smit,' while 'read smut' went through without problems.

Matt Suishe, an engineer from Tolmo, a cybersecurity firm specializing in agent AI, was able to independently reconstruct the same grey list and cross-reference Kaufman's findings with internal Apple data, achieving an almost perfect match. Suishe noted that this list had remained unnoticed for years, offering an interesting look at how 'human communication was potentially influenced and filtered over years within messengers.'

Call for Transparency

Apple, like other tech companies, has previously faced issues where predictive technologies suggested awkward or controversial text. Google's autocomplete function has regularly faced criticism and sometimes lawsuits due to suggested search queries. Last year, Apple drew public attention when users reported that dictating the word 'racist' on their iPhone briefly triggered the word 'Trump.' Apple then explained this as an error and stated it had been fixed.

David Green, Senior Counsel at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a group protecting digital civil liberties, stated that while some find the list 'creepy' and question Apple's judgment, he sees arguments for it as a way to limit unwanted or inflammatory suggestions. Green added: 'But if they are going to do this, users must be well informed about it and have some level of customization. It should not remain a secret.'

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The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has added the code CVE-2024-27834 to its catalog of actively exploited vulnerabilities after confirming new attacks. This vulnerability was first presented during the Pwn2Own Vancouver competition in March 2024.

Although Apple released fixes for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, and Safari two months later, devices without updates remain vulnerable. This can happen either due to user forgetfulness or the need to keep older versions for compatibility with legacy software.

To spread the attacks, criminals compromised the Plerdy SEO Tracker tool, which administrators use to monitor website traffic and visits. Furthermore, they created fake pages and infected legitimate portals.

The infection occurs while using Safari. JavaScript code detects the device model and checks if the system is outdated. Upon detecting a vulnerable version, the exploit runs without requiring any action from the victim, such as clicking a link or downloading files.

The primary goal of the attackers is to capture session cookies—small pieces of data stored in the browser that maintain the user's connection to services without requiring password re-entry upon each access. With these records, criminals can clone the victim's session on another computer and gain access to email and work platforms. This method also allows bypassing two-factor authentication (2FA), which usually requires a temporary code in addition to a password.

The attacks are linked to the APT29 group, also known as Cozy Bear or Midnight Blizzard, which is associated with Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service. CISA also warns users in Brazil: Apple devices that have not yet received the patches remain susceptible to exploitation of this vulnerability. Therefore, it is crucial to check for pending updates on iPhone, iPad, or Mac and install them to protect devices. The article about the old Apple vulnerability being reused to steal data from iPhones first appeared in Olhar Digital.

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Apple's first foldable iPhone is in high demand with limited stock

Apple's first foldable phone, named iPhone Duo, arrived in stores this Friday (the 23rd), facing very high demand and limited stock. This launch also marks the beginning of John Ternus's leadership at the company and could potentially expand the reach of foldable phones, a segment actively being explored by manufacturers like Samsung and Huawei.

Initial reviews highly praise the device's design and discreet hinge, but note shortcomings in camera performance and application adaptation difficulties. The high cost is also a factor that may limit consumer interest in the gadget.

Demand for the iPhone Duo was extremely intense from the moment pre-orders opened. In just a few minutes, supply forecasts in the United States were pushed back to late January. Apple characterized the buyers' reaction as 'something extraordinary.'

To manage the limited supply, the company restricted orders to two devices per customer. In China, France, Hong Kong, India, and Japan, sales were only available to those who ordered online. In Sydney, Australia, customers queued up before the store opened.

Interest was also shown in China, where Liu Wei, a 26-year-old healthcare specialist, waited to purchase the Duo despite already owning a Xiaomi foldable phone. He told Reuters: 'I have been using Apple products for many years and trust the brand more, so I bought it on launch day to try it out.'

In Hong Kong, a buyer identified only as May purchased the 256GB version for an amount equivalent to approximately 11,200 Brazilian reais (HK$ 17,499). They planned to resell the device for a profit of about 2,600 Brazilian reais (approximately HK$ 4,000).

The durable and inconspicuous hinge is among the most praised aspects of early analyses. The device also reduces the visible crease mark on the screen—a feature that has historically been a hurdle for such phones.

Nevertheless, reviews point to challenges that might influence purchasing decisions. John Gruber, author of Daring Fireball and an Apple expert, spent a week with the device but noted that the experience reminded him of a highly advanced prototype rather than a product he would want to use daily.

MKBHD, known as Marques Brownlee, also offered his comments. He does not recommend the Duo to those who primarily use their phone for messaging, social media, and web browsing. However, for those who value the concept and are not overly concerned about the price, the experience might be engaging.

Despite the criticism, Apple's release could attract new users to a category that Samsung and Huawei have been exploring for many years. Nevertheless, the adoption of foldable devices remains limited compared to traditional smartphones.

Francisco Jeronimo, Vice President of the consulting firm IDC, believes that Apple's entry could bring this format to a much wider audience. The consulting firm predicts that by 2026, the company will account for 44% of the market volume by value and 31% by units sold. For 2027, the forecast suggests leadership in both value and volume.

Availability will play a crucial role in this process. Apple informed Reuters that stock for in-store purchases varies by country and is limited in many markets, including the United States, Australia, Canada, Mexico, and parts of Europe. Initial demand is strong, but the ability to meet orders will be the deciding factor in turning the launch into sustained growth.