Secret Club founder, Carl Schou revealed new bug last month that naming a WiFi network “%p%s%s%s%n” could disable the Wi-Fi connection of any iPhone connected to it. It also seems like restoring normal functionality will be a mammoth task, seemingly thought impossible to fix earlier. Later, Schou said that it can be fixed through device’s network settings, though it may cause some inconvenience to the iPhone user initially. Another solution which was possible is restoring a device using iTunes but this process could lead to some kind of data loss based on when the device was last backed up.
This new bug has been discovered by a security researcher back in June and this bug could prevent you from connecting to Wi-Fi networks and maybe not even be able to turn on AirDrop and Wi-Fi services on your iPhone. The original bug was triggered when you connected to networks with a “%” symbol in it. In some coding languages, the letter that follows the % symbol is treated as a command instead of just plain text.
According to feedback of the users and reports, the problem continues to persist even if you switch off your iPhone and turn it back on. Reportedly, not all iPhones are affected by this bug but until Apple makes an official communication related to this problem, it is difficult to predict and conclude that not all iPhones are affected by it.
What users can also try to do is fix the bug by themselves through changing some device settings as stated earlier. To do that, users need to go to settings on their iPhone and then general>reset>reset network settings. WhatsApp has been a victim of these kinds of bugs quite a few times in the past and like Apple, the company stepped in soon and resolved the issue for a smooth experience for the users.
Thankfully the issue has been reported to the company in a widespread manner and Apple will do something about it soon. Apple has always been quick to address these kind of issues and until then, iPhone users should stay vigilant not connect to Wi-Fi networks with a % symbol in it.