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iPod Security!

eclipse525

eclipse525

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
This may sound like a strange question BUT is there any app I can install in my iPod so I can do two things. 1) Enter a password in order to access it (via iPod)

and

2) when connecting to the computer, it asks for a password in order to mount. Sorta like security measure in the event that it gets stolen or lost? Any leads would help!

~e
 
eclipse525 said:
This may sound like a strange question BUT is there any app I can install in my iPod so I can do two things. 1) Enter a password in order to access it (via iPod)

and

2) when connecting to the computer, it asks for a password in order to mount. Sorta like security measure in the event that it gets stolen or lost? Any leads would help!

~e
Click to expand...
Hmmm, good idea. At the moment, I don't know of any software that does this. I would tell Apple about this idea. sjobs@apple.com I believe is the address that is best to send this too.
 
I'm not quite sure what you would accomplish from that. It's not like if it gets stolen the person will return it because they can't hear the music. And also, how would you enter a password on the ipod?
 
honestly that would be a joke to get past. I would hook it into the computer then tell the computer to reformated the drive. There really not much preventing that from happening.6 You can keep people from you music but it woudl take about 30 sec to just reformated the drive and start again with a clean wipe
 
killuminati said:
I'm not quite sure what you would accomplish from that. It's not like if it gets stolen the person will return it because they can't hear the music.
Click to expand...

Yes but they won't be able to see any addresses you have on the iPod if you have Address book synced with it, etc.

killuminati said:
And also, how would you enter a password on the ipod?
Click to expand...

I'm thinking they could have a keyboard type thing on the screen and you can just scroll through the letters with the touch wheel and enter them via the center button.
 
killuminati said:
I'm not quite sure what you would accomplish from that. It's not like if it gets stolen the person will return it because they can't hear the music. And also, how would you enter a password on the ipod?
Click to expand...

I can see this as an added value for signing up on ITMS. Once a week (or a month) you would have to sign in on ITMS to have your iPod "authorized" just as you authorize songs on your iPod now. The difference is that iPod itself would have to be authorized. Such authorization would be required to "reset" your iPod also.

Doubt that Apple would do so though. One there would be cries from some of Apple being Big Brother. Also Apple profits from any iPod stolen. So why should they bother to protect their customers from theft. The only theft they are concerned about is theft of their own property.
 
Chip NoVaMac said:
I can see this as an added value for signing up on ITMS. Once a week (or a month) you would have to sign in on ITMS to have your iPod "authorized" just as you authorize songs on your iPod now. The difference is that iPod itself would have to be authorized. Such authorization would be required to "reset" your iPod also.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, but this is the least practical solution ever! I would think that Apple would like to make the iPod MORE user friendly rather than LESS! The system in place works well, as the sales charts show. 🙂
 
OK, Ladies and Gent's.... I found exactly what I was looking for and then some!


Pod Lock


The reasoning for the security is that I use my iPod to transfer personal and freelance work files back and forth from place to place and in the event that it got stolen or lost, I would rather the person have to completely erase the iPod drive then have the ability to access my files.


~e
 
mad jew said:
I'm sorry, but this is the least practical solution ever! I would think that Apple would like to make the iPod MORE user friendly rather than LESS! The system in place works well, as the sales charts show. 🙂
Click to expand...

I agree, but more and more iPods are being stolen. With ITMS it so to easy to protect the purchaser of the iPod against theft, if Apple allows it to be.

In some ways I see it as the selfish attitude that we as a society have. As long as it doesn't affect me, I don't care.
 
eclipse525 said:
OK, Ladies and Gent's.... I found exactly what I was looking for and then some!


Pod Lock


The reasoning for the security is that I use my iPod to transfer personal and freelance work files back and forth from place to place and in the event that it got stolen or lost, I would rather the person have to completely erase the iPod drive then have the ability to access my files.


~e
Click to expand...

Thanks, this is the program that I was thinking of....
 
Hmm, at the bottom of the page for PodLock it says:

* PodLock's secret partition only prevents casual observers from gaining access to your iPod data. For truly secure data protection, you should also use the file encryption features of FileVault which is included with the Mac OS X operating system.

So surely one could just use FileFault, and not buy their software? Seems odd to me.
 
Cybernanga said:
Hmm, at the bottom of the page for PodLock it says:

* PodLock's secret partition only prevents casual observers from gaining access to your iPod data. For truly secure data protection, you should also use the file encryption features of FileVault which is included with the Mac OS X operating system.

So surely one could just use FileFault, and not buy their software? Seems odd to me.
Click to expand...

Isn't "FileVault" buggy? and how would I implement it on the iPod?

I think PodLock's other features make it worthy.

ALTHOUGH... it would be nice if Apple implement something for devices like the iPod. UNLESS, "FileVault" is the answer. Anybody have a clue??

~e
 
eclipse525 said:
This may sound like a strange question BUT is there any app I can install in my iPod so I can do two things. 1) Enter a password in order to access it (via iPod)

and

2) when connecting to the computer, it asks for a password in order to mount. Sorta like security measure in the event that it gets stolen or lost? Any leads would help!

~e
Click to expand...


Interesting. I was just yesterday thinking I wish the iPod had this functionality as an option.
 
What I did with my iPod shuffle is set aside 200mb for files, leaving the rest for music. I then created a 150mb password protected disk image on it with disk utility for backups of important files. No-one can get into that data without the password, and I have 50mb left for general file usage.
 
An encrypted image for your data is your best bet -- or don't keep them on your iPod.

Additionally, I would suggest somehow engraving your name on the back of the iPod (and putting in a note with your name and address in the Notes system) to help increase the odds, however little, of it being found in a pawn shop soemwhere and returned intact.
 
andrewfee said:
What I did with my iPod shuffle is set aside 200mb for files, leaving the rest for music. I then created a 150mb password protected disk image on it with disk utility for backups of important files. No-one can get into that data without the password, and I have 50mb left for general file usage.
Click to expand...

I was going to suggest this, most people forget ( or don't know) of the ability for disk utility to create password encrypted disk images. The best solution by far, no messy passwords on the ipod, and you can't mount it without your password.
 
killuminati said:
And also, how would you enter a password on the ipod?
Click to expand...


one word : scrollwheel. turn the scrollwhell on the right letter and press the little button in the center. repeat if necessery. okok... i kno not app does that but everyone can have is wet dream 😉
 
YOu know what would be great... If Apple implemented something as a start up security app..... sorta like FileVault...... You can make/mimic a MasterLock Combination Lock and use the scroll wheel to spin the combination lock.

I know.. I know.... gimmicky but effective in this situation, due to the scroll wheel.


~e
 
Securing Contacts, Calendars and Photos

Okay, I took a quick glance at this discussion, and only one person brought the true issue to light.

WHAT ABOUT THE INFO YOU CAN GET DIRECTLY FROM THE IPOD SCREEN INTERFACE! I CAN'T LOCK PRYING EYES FROM THE SCREEN!

Any contacts, scheduling, notes or photos can be viewed by anyone who picks up your iPod. If you have important, personal, secret, or private information or images on your iPod and it gets stolen or "borrowed" and, here's the important thing, you use it like it's designed, for more than just music, then you're and your contacts are vulnerable. If I'm wrong let me know.

In regards to safeguarding files stored in the hard drive, Disk Utility's ability to make an encrypted "read/write" .dmg file should be sufficient for most. But it should be easier to "make" one of those files directly from the finder. Sort of like "make an archive."

I hope this brings the iPod security question upfront and that Apple does something about it right away. iPod Photo is going to have a hard time, how can someone in their right mind keep some of the photos, names, and information on their iPod?
 
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