# Apple's A12 and A13 Chips Facing New Unpatchable Exploit

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-06-18 22:07 UTC · Category: Technology

## Executive Summary
A new unpatchable hardware exploit targets older iPhones, leaving millions of devices permanently vulnerable.

## Intelligence Brief
Researchers have released a hardware exploit known as "usbliter8" that targets Apple's A12 and A13 chips. Coverage identifies this as a BootROM and SecureROM vulnerability affecting devices ranging from the iPhone XS to the iPhone 11. Because the flaw resides in the hardware, it is described as unpatchable and unfixable via software updates.


Outlets including The Register, The Hacker News, and iClarified note that the exploit breaks the secure boot chain, potentially allowing for a full chain-of-trust compromise. Several sources, including Android Headlines and Mashable, emphasize that this is a permanent hardware issue similar to previous checkm8-style exploits. Coverage does not yet specify if Apple has issued an official response or guidance for affected users.


While the vulnerability affects specific older generations, the security implications for the remaining lifecycle of these devices remain a focal point of ongoing reporting.

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| New York Post | Cybersecurity firm IDs unfixable security flaw that affects seven iPhone models — is yours on the list? | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikAFBVV95cUxPTU1aR21XeG04TjVYcndBeXpSRVRQUDRNbEstYVRxNzRRTTJQVFB4ZVVfWmprVzBSa3ZRbF9VUGxiRTlyZUh3Smo5VUxhc0lYUnNaR0YxRjc4d1hwYjVCbTVoUVR6V0VuNkdaN2VYS1dkNGQ3b2lLc0tVbmk2MWYxZUdvYTF1QjlNV1V2MzdoX1Q?oc=5) |
| TechRadar | Apple users told to watch out for 'unpatchable' iPhone security issues - here's what we know | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMixAFBVV95cUxNT2Y0enh1YU9xQXUwWVZPMHl1VUluOWdDV3Q4OHJWZFMya0JhUzhjai1nTTBPZEFzdm10cjFHREhmTUJieDlQV0R2WmN0UklTWEd5UUtMeThKUEtFMDZqS215V3FyQTNqWG15OGJxZ2x2YVkzWXZVRDdKMEU5YlpkQnhBOWxBbTIxSWFxQzlMSVVxclRjRmtoMnh6ZHlKblpJUUl4aWpEYzdWamRobGNwWW9OWENJMktkVk1sZ1VsNVRqNWxn?oc=5) |
| Gadget Review | Apple’s A12 and A13 Chips Have an Unpatchable Flaw – What It Means for You | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiogFBVV95cUxOemI5VXlNU294Y0xkQlAzdUEyMXo5cTluX2JMX2JnMDNHejlnMXYxenFxUzVOR2NKZ09EU3NVeTFfdjNUZGRZUW1ha1VYQldRdGxOcVNvQXpmZU5oMzhRUjhjRUNIazRXblNzVjR2LWZYa0dIY1JPNnJmX0MwbzJHU001UGgyU2tVT0pNb3JEdmMwaGs0LXhoelZ4TWZnc1YySkE?oc=5) |
| Android Headlines | Old iPhones Have a Hardware Flaw That Apple Can Never Actually Fix | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMioAFBVV95cUxPVzFQb0V3MW1SdndWUERJOTB2NDFkbktCbkVaMXEyZkp0R3RBRTlqUE90Nm83V0FaWUZFbFp5NUZGN2U0eklUOXBjamtLem1JbndFZjNFT3JIdjhjbUdPZWFlZFV1WTJlZXVSMzhKeld3eF9fdEQ4c0lSeXdkV1F6X1VtQjFSVGlBRmMwbnM0SF90WVBBbkRtNnpIYS1hYl8w?oc=5) |
| The Register | Researchers drop checkm8-style BootROM exploit for A12 and A13 iPhones | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMixAFBVV95cUxPVTA2cDFXMGJlLW9KNVVfd3BmRlBNUVZRbkJOVFU4M0YtT1FMd2kxOWN0UnZUdVZWbWN0cUFxeVhxLXNvUlhUODdaYmdfbTFOQ0pVTzA2V3ZoVkxkSEcxcXFrbjZNWk9xdnZCUXNpbzZJTV9mQ2kwTXBKOHZXbnpId1Jtamc2b3NkMHBjdEV1OUI0ckRWMTRKOWNQZDRsYmJFR2VvNFNwR2llWGtDM1VxTFlNWVpCallwOUtwVWRiRS1VZnU1?oc=5) |
| GSMArena.com | Researchers uncover an unpatchable security flaw affecting several iPhone generations - GSMArena.com news | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwwFBVV95cUxQZjhWNm15U2k1UzVtclJ1a1FZdl8xclp4ck9RbVRzaWFGVkJQU3NmcDZnZjFuVW5Pd2g4eTYwRmd6dl9wTmVoLUJfU3hpYlRkekpwOHMzd1NSeEtSUlhsaXprck0wVjY0a01XOXVGcWc0b2Q5cERwOHcybWk0MVJrcDFmZmVhUFZHZXFvUnc5bmIwVnVZNXZ2YlJ0eXFjY1NWREpYWEdHUHltdzM0cEtMOGIteWhKYmVMdm0wZTRVU0lxRTjSAb8BQVVfeXFMTnFUcHl4WDQ5b1FQeTh3bXU3dTB3aDRlRXBOOGRYdnoxemVkbzlvUnZid1ZmNlR6UWxJd2lFdEtsa0luSVNTOE9JT2ZMRUl1UHR1ekJwN18yUVRKX19QYVhPeTV2bnYyWEc1YVh5U1ludy0xZVVEdEdjUGlaSHY5TFYtYXRPSnhPcnFTbUpnRGZ) |
| Mashable | Older iPhones are vulnerable to a flaw Apple likely can’t fix | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMigAFBVV95cUxOWmFaV1ZQUENpYVNlV1FBMWpkOVdzMUxLZEhSc1h5MU91T2drdml3N1kwMXdVTzJsamJGSDZRMkRmNHJnQ3FqUnZOczhRTTFGT3pIcW1RZ1M1TEZFdnNndGlhZUVWQTAyTUo4aklMUjU0SzJYd3lFamZRTWZLVHZINQ?oc=5) |
| The Hacker News | Unpatchable 'usbliter8' Exploit Breaks Apple A12 and A13 SecureROM Boot Chain | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMigAFBVV95cUxPRzZ2bmt3eGxGSjZFZ3h4REkzUHVrb05oVlRUR3huNWFsdjV6LUx1ZDBrZndCclNaS1pDUTRjNUl3ZTZ4WFNiZFJsc1BNZ2NQZ0RYTXlXT1FOdE5MRFNYdGtaajVrTHR4YkdTaUNHcDFXbzJLb2RmMWhhV1RrUDRxRw?oc=5) |
| iClarified | Unpatchable BootROM Exploit 'usbliter8' Released for iPhone XS Through iPhone 11 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMisgFBVV95cUxQSXZ2NmF1dTBhUDd6eXc0dmtLUWEtbi1fWGNaN3FkNnVZcTVwQlMzSlY4Z0dZSmF3RU5jTGhqNkNBNXZqMTg1MVo1bEg5VnVfeXEyRDB6amNrNGFydVNQT0xkZktLbm5Bdmc4VjcxU3NidFhCVlJRVUo1eGZwb29TdXo3Yl9YcVNMeHR6MzZkZzFlM1FYb0hyVWV1U2F0UzVJcDJVNG56QXYyWlJ4VG9MNVhR?oc=5) |
| AppleInsider | A12 & A13 Apple devices face an unpatchable SecureROM vulnerability | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMirAFBVV95cUxOLU5aNThLdV9ZOEVMNlN0UmtsNlNuTEZORnkzaEhMdTJWZVlqUnpJYTlOdi1lR1YtUXlDM3V5Qm50S183dGxuUXdZSTAxZ2FuWmpkZ2pCd1RMWjZkTE15a19tdjhDZm5VZk4yRzI0NWxBQWZoX1F6NkdsYVZvQ0c0MHYyek15RGNFQjN0Qi1CRnUwcDRwbFh0N1owaXRGNFlWN3lHZFpzUWwtMUM1?oc=5) |
| CyberSecurityNews | New iPhone BootROM Vulnerability Exposes Apple SoCs to Full Chain-of-Trust Compromise | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMia0FVX3lxTE9yaDFYUTBXVUNtMFVVVnFUbDBNOUQyMnkwdHFVcHBpejVEQ3lLMnMweFJDMVZvNnBFaWVGMUxlUDF6V1hIWGhNQ2JPcmp6SXZFY05sTnNxNFNoTUhLRE96dW52RnlTZE43R1dN0gFwQVVfeXFMUFU4c2JhamJ5RDFNNDZwWHBUY0pWUExjV3dFUGVkdUwwTVlON3VxWUpIR3dXQWQ3STh2eWJSSENUbkpJbHYzQ3Z6LUJQcGJHdldubE9mMjcxNkwwejZqNWdwM3JnMHZHaU13M1RyeTNobw?oc=5) |
| iPhone in Canada | Millions of iPhones Have a Security Flaw That Apple Can Never Fix | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiqwFBVV95cUxQdFp1M1NId2l3bkloSkoyclNUUWNTQWVSVHprUFZ3aDJsVWlDdEhOcTl4WnNXbEtHR2lIMDY4TF9iZ0JfU1pFNjc4T0hRUzR5YVB0MlQwVmt4MmZHS3hyUzdOcVZoRDhvMVdUN3pMbmQtOEFoZlF4NGo0UloweGhFZmdieF9YUVNmelBkSVB6TUwzX2dTYmpFVjdBWnlGSFFlWnI2eFN0MWdxcXM?oc=5) |
| 9to5Mac | New unpatchable exploit targets Apple devices with A12 and A13 chips | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiogFBVV95cUxPdHRkYVNTbS01NElQUmRnenVNRWtiRnRaaXZMeHZwOHNxcmVJQzRadV9YLXo0cnphU0FmM3FsY0xIc2FaUFY0TzBDa1hNakhTcVZ2WVlzVk9YdG1IODZ5M2ZHNExkblMzbENPbmlvY1hqSlFzTXBZRFU4c3I1U2pWdDY3dFkzUDBrZFBLRUpjVlRJaUZaanJFM1BDNEFuZzVlVUE?oc=5) |
| MacRumors | Apple's A12 and A13 Chips Facing New Unpatchable Exploit | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiekFVX3lxTFBYbF9XRUZieWhvRFBGckJyV2puUGFfSWVGY0RzWmdXTnl1QzBHMHRtdVBEbUhTUkJWLUxDZ194dVJ0SHlrQTFMZ1BCN2tVaWxRX0hyaE5qWWxuQ29jSXVULU53YU1SNkRLWnVMekpDdzYtODlTRFJDY0Rn?oc=5) |

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*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoviral.com/trend/2026-06-18/apple-s-a12-and-a13-chips-facing-new-unpatchable-exploit*