Hackers say they have been able to access people's personal data on iPhones due to a security glitch in Apple's new iOS 7 software.
The flaw means the phone's lockscreen can be bypassed, meaning that texts, emails and photos can be accessed along with users' Twitter and Facebook accounts.
The problem was discovered soon after iOS 7 became publicly available on Wednesday, but appears to only be an issue with the iPhone 4S and 5 handsets.
A spokesman for Apple told the Guardian: "Apple takes user security very seriously.
"We are aware of this issue, and will deliver a fix in a future software update."
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
The new-look operating system had already got off to a rocky start as users complained about difficulties downloading it.
Hailed as a new beginning for the technology giant, the iOS 7 was eagerly anticipated but tech fans complained of messages telling them: "An error occurred whilst downloading iOS 7.0".
Users took to social media such as Twitter to express frustration at the setback as "iOS 7.0" became a trending topic.
The operating system was unveiled just months after Apple posted its first profit slide in a decade and drew accusations that it has failed to innovate.
