Apple to fix bug that lets Siri read hidden notifications

Apple has promised to fix the Siri bug which allowed the digital assistant to read aloud hidden lock screen notifications from many apps on iPhones. Acknowledging the issue, Apple in a statement to MacRumors, said, "We are aware of the issue and it will be addressed in an upcoming software update."

The bug first reported by Brazilian website Mac Magazine allows someone to access hidden messages notifications on a locked iPhone by asking Siri to read them. The flaw enables Siri to read out the email and chat messages from third-party apps like Gmail, WhatsApp, Slack and Facebook Messenger, even when the device is locked and those notifications are supposed to be hidden via the iOS Settings app. The only exception where Siri won't read hidden notifications if the device is unlocked is Apple's own Messages app.

Probably, the issue seems to affect only messaging notifications. The temporary solution revolves around disabling your notifications on the lock screen, so anyone with unauthorized access to your iOS device can't access it. The problem persists in iOS 11.3 beta, which is due to release later this year and iOS 11.2.6 until Apple issues a bug fix.

In order to disable Siri on the lock screen, head to Settings > Siri & Search > Allow Siri When Locked. Unselect this toggle and Siri won't be able to read out messages when the phone is locked.