A major FaceTime bug has been discovered allowing iPhone users to call another device via FaceTime and hear audio on the other end, even before the recipient has answered the call.

The bug was reported by 9to5Mac and confirmed by CNET, has the ability to turn any iPhone into a hot mic without the user’s knowledge. This represents a serious security concern for Apple. Additionally, they managed to replicate the bug by making a FaceTime call to a Mac.

Here’s how it works. After starting a FaceTime call with another iPhone user, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to add another user to the call and add your own phone number. While the phone is still ringing, you’ll be able to hear audio from the recipient’s phone, even though they haven’t accepted the call.

Further aggravating this, when a recipient rejects the call by pressing the power button, video will still be broadcast from their phone. When CNET recreated this scenario, they manage to obtain about 1-2 seconds of video from the recipient’s phone before the call was disconnected.

Basically, this bug allows you to spy on another you are calling – a huge privacy violation. According to Macrumors, Apple has been aware of this issue and will roll out an update ‘later this week’.

For the time being, I will be deactivating my FaceTime on my phone.