Alarm raised over fake iPhone 1.1.3 update

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Monday, 07 January 2008 21:22

Your IT - Mobility

In November 2007, Fast Company magazine published a 6 minute video showing freelance security consultant Rick Farrow hacking into an iPhone, and activating a silent recording program, able to send copies of the recordings to another computer, in a process that is effectively invisible to everyday users, unaware that every sound they make when their iPhone nearby could be listened to should their iPhone ever become compromised by malicious software.

Farrow was also able to demonstrate how easy it is for a hacker who has gained control over the iPhone to access a range of personal information, from the list of current Safari bookmarks, the browsing history of the iPhone user, mail, voicemail and more – once the hacker had control of the iPhone.

Of course that’s still the tricky bit, meaning the vast majority of iPhone users are safe for now. But it’s not just an iPhone problem – Farrow says virtually any modern smartphone could be equally hacked and made to be an in-pocket spy for someone else.

It means that ever increasing vigilance over data security is important, especially in a world where digital devices can mysteriously ‘stop working’ causing loss of data, alongside business and personal havoc to users.

It’s also a good reason to start becoming truly aware of the risks taken when online, just as there are risks in the offline world.

If consumers demand better security for today’s class of advanced mobile devices. , companies will fight to offer the most secure systems that are still easy to use.

It’s also worth noting that before downloading anything, it’s best to look it up on Google or your search engine of choice to see what other people think – especially if it’s something you’re not familiar with.

For those wanting to know when the real 1.1.3 update will hit the world, Macworld 2008 will hopefully be the place we’ll find out more about the new firmware, more info about official third party software and just what Jobs plans to do to keep the iPhone as secure as possible!