iPhones' "security" features: Weak??

[sonnas]

having just got a iphone after having resisted since they released, im pretty impressed.

but, been reading around and it seems the iphone security passcodes are next to useless in preventing someone knicking your phone and using it, and that they can also access all your data on yr phone even if you set passcodes on the phone.

does anyone know if these faults are sorted in the iphone 4?

doesnt this seem a monumental flaw in the iphone...??!

 

[fisicx]

Why is this any different to any other phone?

The simple answer is not to keep all your data on your phone in the same way you wouldn't keep all your important data in a notebook or your wallet.

 

[sonnas]

Why is this any different to any other phone?

The simple answer is not to keep all your data on your phone in the same way you wouldn't keep all your important data in a notebook or your wallet.

different to other phones in that ive never heard of another phone where for example someone steals it, they can "hard reset" it to default factory settings in 2 keypresses which bypasses all passcodes you set on it.

the very least on other phones you have to crack it first!

 

[wecandobiz]

Phone thefts are opportunitistic and for the value of the handset. They'll nick an iPhone because they know they can sell them for hundreds potentially, not because they want to read your email. Passcodes won't stop this happening.

I don't have a passcode on mine because it's an inconvenience to have to enter it every time I want to use my phone for something, which is A LOT -- in over two years it's never left my side. I'd be lost without it -- quite literally, as I use it as my satnav too!

Anything i do need to really protect, such as passwords to websites (hosting, management consoles, banking) I use an app for which can't has a passcode that can't be reset without the master reset code entered.

And there are stories of people getting their iPhones back because they used GPS based apps. And don't I recall you can actually disable it remote too?

 

[fisicx]

Really? What are two keypresses you need to make to do this then as all the tutorials I've seen require considerable effort to access the phone (and most reset to factory settings losing all the data).

 

[sonnas]

Phone thefts are opportunitistic and for the value of the handset. They'll nick an iPhone because they know they can sell them for hundreds potentially, not because they want to read your email. Passcodes won't stop this happening.

I don't have a passcode on mine because it's an inconvenience to have to enter it every time I want to use my phone for something, which is A LOT -- in over two years it's never left my side. I'd be lost without it -- quite literally, as I use it as my satnav too!

Anything i do need to really protect, such as passwords to websites (hosting, management consoles, banking) I use an app for which can't has a passcode that can't be reset without the master reset code entered.

And there are stories of people getting their iPhones back because they used GPS based apps. And don't I recall you can actually disable it remote too?

your prob right, they want the phone for cash, not to find out my ;latest facebook update!

what are these stories of people getting their phones back via gps apps?

Really? What are two keypresses you need to make to do this then as all the tutorials I've seen require considerable effort to access the phone (and most reset to factory settings losing all the data).

yes, the data gets lost but they have your phone!



im prob just being too precious with my 1st iphone to be fair

 

[Ceco Solutions]

Well the iPhone does have few security features such as Remote Wipe and wipe after number of unsuccessful pass code tries.

What we offer our clients is the Remote Wipe feature through Google Apps Premier (for Businesses).

All Data is wiped off the device.

We have also setup secure mobile device polices i.e. your password must be 6 or more characters etc.

You can sign up with MobileMe which is £60 a year its a service from Apple which offers email,storage and other things. More importantly it has the RemoteWipe feature.

PM me if you need any help.

 

[zomex]

different to other phones in that ive never heard of another phone where for example someone steals it, they can "hard reset" it to default factory settings in 2 keypresses which bypasses all passcodes you set on it.

the very least on other phones you have to crack it first!

I'm 90% sure that there's an app for this but I can't remember the name. It will allow you to delete all of the data on your phone remotely from iTunes incase someone steals it.

 

[akirk]

mobile me membership (Apple scheme) allows you to wipe the iphone remotely

Alasdair

 

[fisicx]

You can sign up with MobileMe which is £60 a year its a service from Apple which offers email,storage and other things. More importantly it has the RemoteWipe feature.

Does this still work if they have installed a new SIM?

 

[Ceco Solutions]

Does this still work if they have installed a new SIM?

Short answer is no. Removing the sim card takes it off the grid except for WIFI connections. If the thief can access the Settings app he or she can disable the wifi. However if he or she can't then if your iPhone connects to a nearby WIFI network automatically then a remote wipe can be started.

Its important to have a screen password.

Also theirs another local setting on the iPhone which will wipe the phone after typing the password incorrectly (you can set the number of tries) .

 

[garyk]

different to other phones in that ive never heard of another phone where for example someone steals it, they can "hard reset" it to default factory settings in 2 keypresses which bypasses all passcodes you set on it.

the very least on other phones you have to crack it first!

If you 'hard reset' it, it wipes all your data anyway.

As above its no more or no less secure than any other smartphone.

 

[PureIT]

Alternatively if you use an inhouse mail server then you can set up a MDM (mobile device management) server. Here's some 'light' reading for you

http://www.apple.com/support/iphone/enterprise/

Good Luck

 

[Astaroth]

yes, the data gets lost but they have your phone!

All phone security is in connection with data not the phone itself. Once they have the physical device there are always ways of clearing a password etc so that it can be used but what people are more concerned about is if the thief can also access their data - more and more so given email and banking apps etc rather than just your sisters telephone number or texts to your wife etc.

 

[Esk247]

this is the problem with such devices as the iphone. it's like taking your laptop out for walkies with all your details in it.

even worse than a laptop it stores everyones telephone numbers and now email addresses, on top of this as has been mentioned you now have banking apps, car unlock apps, gps apps with saved locations.

the amount of information people walk around with is shocking, people even walk around with there national insurance card together with the driving license and credit/debit cards.

i don't know how you techno geeks manage not to get stressed out, your whole world is on those phones, where as mine just has a phonebook and some unimportant texts.