Apple text bomb bug 'can cause phone crash with a single message'

A "text bomb" software bug that can crash an Apple phone or computer with a single text message has been discovered, according to reports.

Software developer Abraham Masri posted a malicious link on Twitter to a chaiOS bug that he said if sent to a device would cause it to freeze or restart.

He said that he had warned Apple about the bug before posting it publicly.

A number of Twitter users confirmed they had suffered crashes in their Messages app after testing the link, with some saying that they struggled to get their systems working properly again afterwards.

Security expert Graham Cluley said the bug causes "a brainstorm" in Apple devices which causes the Messages app to crash in a post on his blog.

He described the bug as "Nasty. But, thankfully, more of a nuisance than something that will lead to data being stolen from your computer or a malicious hacker being able to access your files."

Apple was urged to do more to fix software flaws. Credit: PA

Mr Masri later deleted the code the caused the crash, saying that he had made his point but wanted Apple to step up action to tackle such issues.

"I made my point. Apple needs to take such bugs more seriously," he wrote.

A spokesman for Apple was not immediately available for comment.