The bad news is that there is a bug in Apple's iOS 7 which is preventing email attachments from being encrypted on the Apple device. The good news, on the other hand, is that Apple has started working on a solution. An Apple spokesperson said in an announcement that they are aware of the issue and are already working on a fix that will be available in a future software update.

The bug was first reported by Andreas Kurtz just last month when he noticed he was able to access email attachments in the iOS 7 files without being asked to enter a passcode. This was not supposed to happen since attachments are supposedly protected by Apple's data protection technology. This feature was supposed to offer users an additional layer of protection, specifically for email attachments and third-party applications. In other words, it means that in the event that a gadget is stolen, the thief would not be able to extract data by connecting the device to a computer without knowing the passcode.

Kurtz found this problem when he used an iOS jailbreak tool. He noticed that he was able to access the file system and later observed that message attachments were not in fact encrypted. Apple did not brush off this discovery and acknowledged it as a real problem, adding however that the risks are limited. Despite understanding the vulnerability posed by this bug, Apple suggests that consumers should not worry too much because physical access is required to exploit the loophole. It's not something that can be accessed using malware over a network. Second, a jailbreak technique is needed to bypass the security of the device -- not something everyone exactly knows how to operate or perform.

To take advantage of this bug, one must have a certain set of skills and technical knowledge, so it's not too much to worry about for the average consumer. Just to be safe, get the fix once it's released by Apple.