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iOS 6 JavaScript bug could affect mobile Safari users

iOS 6 JavaScript bug could affect mobile Safari users

If you've used Safari on your iOS 6 device lately, you've probably noticed the new app banners that pop up on several sites whenever that site has a related app. But as AppleInsider reports, it looks like the new banners have the ability to meddle with your user settings without your consent by re-enabling JavaScript even if you've manually shut it off on your device.

Lisa Myers of security firm Intego told AppleInsider that the issue isn't necessarily troubling -- at least not yet. "At the moment it doesn't pose a threat, but we'll continue to monitor it to make sure it doesn't become more exploitable," she explains. "There's also the fact that few people actually disable JavaScript completely as it can partially, or totally, disable the majority of websites."

Obviously the simple act of re-enabling JavaScript isn't an Earth-shaking privacy issue, so there's little reason to be concerned from that standpoint. However, tweaking device settings without at least informing the user that the change was made is a perplexing choice, even a bit annoying.