Key Logger App For Accountability Purposes?

Hmmm, that's too bad. There are a lot of accountability companies/app developers out there that could make such an app without compromising security. They have solid privacy policies and good reputations. Apple should develop something if they don't want to make an exception in the app "sandbox". Lots of people want it. I guess I'll stick with Android then. Has much better accountability app options than iPhone.

Yes, there are companies that could do that. Access to the core functions of the phone is necessary for the use of the phone. To monitor Safari (instead of block it) you would need access to it, as with other apps. There are companies out there that have built such software/applications for computers, and millions of people use it. There has never been a security breach with these programs. These companies have been up and running for years without any privacy issues. I currently have one such program on my Macbook and Android phone. If the right companies (Covenant Eys, X3 Watch, Accountable2you, etc...) were able to develop such iPhone apps, I can guarentee that there would be no compromising of security whatsoever. And if not third party companies, why not Apple?

Meg St._Clair wrote:

desertsquirrel wrote:

Yes, there are companies that could do that.

No. Apple does not allow third party apps to have access to the core functions that would be necessary for a keylogger to work. Whether or not companies have good reputations, whether or not they make similar apps for other operating systems is irrelevant. As to why Apple doesn't make such software, only Apple can say. You can suggest it to them here:

http:/www.apple.com/feedback

I know that Apple does not allow third party apps to have access. I agree, it is irrelevant with current polies. I was simply responding to KiltedTim's interjection that "Access to the core functions of the phone necessary to do so would itself require compromising the security of the phone.", when in reality it would not compromise the security of the phone. The core functions would be accessed, but the phone would remain secure. Both KiltedTim's comment and my comment were theoretical in nature. Both supposing that the core functions were actually accessed by the apps that we are talking about.

Meg St._Clair wrote:

desertsquirrel wrote:

"Access to the core functions of the phone necessary to do so would itself require compromising the security of the phone.", when in reality it would not compromise the security of the phone. The core functions would be accessed, but the phone would remain secure.

That makes absolutely no sense. Access to the core functions of the phone would most definitely compromise security. I'm not sure what universe you live in where that would not be the case. Your faith in these theoretical companies that could be trusted with this access is touching, though.

Android phones, which do allow such access, have revealed a number of serious vulnerabilities recently. Start your reading here:

http://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/android-vulnerability-allows-app-hijacking

It would compromise security if used for that purpose yes. Just like if someone takes your phone with malicious purposes, say steal your credit card information, instead of a family member or friend borrowing it to show you a funny video. Your sarcasm is unseeded and misplaced. These, "theoretical companies", are actually real companies. With these companies, "there has not been any abuses of privileges on Mac, PC, or Android devices. You think the companies would all of a sudden decide to abuse the iPhone when they could have done so already with other operating systems?

You missed a very important part in the article that you posted. "We have added detection logic for the vulnerable condition to our backend Norton Mobile Insight systems and, out of four million applications, have not yet discovered malicious usage of the vulnerability." Bring it up again if there is ever anything that is actually happening, instead of just the possibility of something being breached. It looks like you would have bought into Symantec's ploy to sell you their product.

I don't understand what I am suppose to face?

serenitynow1 wrote:

Just face it dude... apple just does not want it publicly at the moment.. thats it.

they do it privately with a select group of people, as we are all aware of. but they don't see any business need to do it publicly as of now.

there's nothing like foolproof security or having no backdoors, etc... just that noone wants to implement it publicly.