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iOS device tracking - we need details of how to disable (urgently)

Dear Apple,


You might not consider that your users privacy is important, however we do take a different view. It has become clear that iOS devices write location and time information to a clear text file that is then automatically synced via iTunes back to our primary computers. This is not acceptable and you need to make a public statement about why this is happnening and confirming what steps we can take to ensure this is not the default behaviour.


From what I can see this leaves the following attack vectors open:


1 - Direct iOS vulerability expliot, we know that iOS has had a history of vulnerabilities, all it could take is someone directing a user to a pdf file that has an un-disclosed or un-patched vulnerability, this could possibly open this file for access and exploitation


2 - Simple access from backup stored by iTunes on PCs, perhaps it's time to enable encryption by default?? A utility has been released that reads this automatically and plots location over time on a map.



PS - Word of warning to everyone, don't run the utility to plot your location unless you want to give away your location and time to the map provider.

Posted on Apr 20, 2011 5:08 PM

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73 replies

Apr 22, 2011 2:08 PM in response to ozsmac


PS - Word of warning to everyone, don't run the utility to plot your location unless you want to give away your location and time to the map provider.


Where did you get that from? It's not true according to the iPhone Tracker website.


Matt


http://petewarden.github.com/iPhoneTracker/#faq


You say no data is shared, but why do I see the web accessed when I run the app?

The visualization is implemented as a view onto a local web page using the OpenHeatMap jQuery plugin. This means that the following resources are pulled from the web:

OpenStreetMap background tiles

The jQuery main script file hosted on Google

The OpenHeatMap script and CSS files

All of these are just static files that are downloaded from the web, and none of your data ever leaves your machine. We do still recommend inspecting the source code if you're a developer, or even just relying on the directions that allow you to inspect the data using standard database tools.

Apr 22, 2011 2:31 PM in response to DavidK2010

Facebook is a choice! I choose to use it, I choose what info I share, and I choose who I share it with.


You also have a choice to use an iPhone (or any smart phone for that matter).


Core Location is a framework built into the iPhone that allows developers to create Apps that can tell where you are. If Google maps is going to drop a pin in your map at your current location it needs to know where you are.


There's no evidence that anyone is tracking you and keeping a record of where you go. Certainly not Apple.


Doing so is against the law in California.


Matt

Apr 22, 2011 3:05 PM in response to tonefox

Or either is stolen, or hacked, or seized by law enforcement, TSA or customs.


And how do you know its private? If it's accessible to any app on the phone or computer you would have no way of knowing if it was sent or not, and to whom. There are already apps for Android and jailbroken iPhones (and probably unjailboken ones also) that send your contacts and calendar to somewhere in the cloud. How do you know they are not sending your location also?

Apr 22, 2011 4:06 PM in response to ozsmac

This is an over-dramatized, poorly reported issue typical of most media "news" outlets looking to improve readership/viewership for advertising revenue purposes. I can find more information about anyone that I might want from websites like intellisus.com and peoplesearch.com than anything that is privately stored on our iPhones or iPads. When will people smarten-up and understand that most "private" data is available as open-source information on the web. Our education system is failing us! Jeesh!

Apr 22, 2011 5:59 PM in response to Russa

"This is an over-dramatized, poorly reported issue typical of most media "news" outlets looking to improve readership/viewership for advertising revenue purposes. I can find more information about anyone that I might want from websites like intellisus.com and peoplesearch.com than anything that is privately stored on our iPhones or iPads. When will people smarten-up and understand that most "private" data is available as open-source information on the web. Our education system is failing us! Jeesh!"


LOL, what BS reply! This is NOT privately stored data, you really think Apple would have a database of your location and risk this kind of bad press if they were not collecting that data? NO! Our education system is failing us because people dont want huge corporations knowing where we are at all times? Really? That is all you have come up with?

iOS device tracking - we need details of how to disable (urgently)

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