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OneKey founder warns older iPhones have unpatchable chip vulnerabilities
On November 1, 2026, OneKey founder Yishi warned that iPhone 11 series and earlier models have hardware flaws no software update can fix. Two exploits, checkm8 and usbliter8, target the BootROM, the first code that runs at power-on, which is baked into the chip.
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What happened
On November 1, 2026, OneKey founder Yishi warned that iPhone 11 series and earlier models have hardware flaws no software update can fix. Two exploits, checkm8 and usbliter8, target the BootROM, the first code that runs at power-on, which is baked into the chip.
Confirmed
Global impact / market context
People who keep crypto seed phrases, the backup words that restore a wallet, on these older iPhones face exposure if an attacker briefly holds the phone. Because the flaw sits in hardware, Apple cannot patch it, so the only fix is moving the wallet to another device.
Analyst inference
This warning targets owners of older iPhones rather than markets broadly. It could nudge crypto holders toward hardware wallets and newer handsets, shifting demand for wallet products and adding a security cost for anyone storing keys on aging consumer devices.
Analyst inference
What to watch
- Yishi said the two exploits, checkm8 and usbliter8, affect devices from the iPhone 4S through the 11 series and the second-generation iPhone SE, disclosed in 2019 and June 2026 respectively. Confirmed
- OneKey's founder recommends moving seed phrases off affected iPhones soon, which implies holders should shift wallet backups to newer devices or dedicated hardware wallets before an attacker gains physical access. Proposed
- Watch whether crypto wallet makers report higher demand for hardware wallets, and whether Apple faces pressure to address BootROM security in future chip designs, which could raise costs and shape device upgrade cycles. Analyst inference