Binance has warned iPhone users to delete any apps not downloaded from Apple’s official App Store after identifying a software vulnerability it called “worse_query.”
The cryptocurrency exchange, which revealed last week it had lost $6.3 billion in a cyberattack linked to North Korea, issued the alert on Tuesday for devices running iOS 26 and iOS 27. Binance stressed that the newly identified security threat is separate from the North Korea-linked incident that hit the company.
The “worse_query” flaw can let harmful apps secretly access private information stored by other apps on the same phone, according to Binance. Under normal circumstances, Apple’s operating system keeps apps isolated from one another, meaning they cannot access each other’s private data or files. But the newly discovered vulnerability could allow malicious software to bypass those protections entirely.
An infected app could potentially access sensitive information held by other applications on the same iPhone, including private messages, photographs, documents and saved login details. Cybercriminals could use the loophole to secretly view, copy or even tamper with files belonging to other apps, with cryptocurrency wallets among the potential targets.
For anyone who stores digital currency on their iPhone, this could have particularly serious consequences, as wallet files may contain recovery phrases or private security keys that provide access to their funds. Should hackers get their hands on this information, they could potentially steal someone’s cryptocurrency or take control of their account altogether.
Binance said the “worse_query” vulnerability had been identified on devices running iOS 26.7.1, iOS 27.0.1 and iOS 27.2.
However, an independent software researcher who goes by the name Taj suggested on coding platform GitHub that the security issue could be much more widespread, potentially impacting almost every release of iOS 26, from version 26.0 through to 26.7.2.
Although the flaw in itself is not believed to be malware, it does create a weakness for anyone using an iPhone which might have a malicious app downloaded onto it. Apps downloaded from outside Apple’s official App Store can pose a greater security risk, as they don’t necessarily undergo the same level of scrutiny as those approved by the tech giant.
This can leave unsuspecting iPhone owners vulnerable to cybercriminals looking for a way into their devices. Binance warned that hackers could exploit the “worse_query” vulnerability by targeting iPhones running compromised software, potentially gaining access to users’ accounts or even draining their cryptocurrency wallets.
Anyone using an affected version of iOS has been advised to install the latest operating system update as soon as possible. Binance also recommended creating an entirely new crypto wallet if there’s reason to believe a device may have already been compromised.
The staggering $6.3 billion loss came in a cyberattack that Binance has linked to North Korean hackers, an incident described as the “biggest hack in history.” The company shared its iPhone warning just days after suffering that attack, though it emphasized the two issues are not connected.
Apple did not immediately respond for comment regarding the alleged flaw.