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iCloud -a scary thought

What is your comfort level with enabling icloud for your idevice

  • Comfortable

    Votes: 138 64.2%

  • Wary

    Votes: 58 27.0%

  • No way

    Votes: 19 8.8%
  • Total voters
    215
A

ani23

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 22, 2008
277
6
While I love the concept what really scares me is if somehow my password is compromised essentially they can replicate pretty much most of my sensitive data to any phone they own.

All that stands between your pics contacts etc is a username password.

Now this is similar to other things like gmail etc but for some reason so much data protected just by this one challenge seems scary to me.

Obviously icloud is optional but wanted to get people's thoughts about it.
 
I understand the concern, personally it seems like a valid one. But this seems kind of like an issue with cloud services in general, not just Apple's iCloud. Lots of people have been skeptical of cloud-like services with the prospect of having data being stored elsewhere. Unfortunately I don't know what to say other than to just try and be more careful if anything, although I guess that really goes without saying
 
I'm definitely not ok with iCloud. After the recent breaches of Sony, Lockheed Martin, etc. iCloud is going to have a huge target painted on it since it will be storing so much user data.

Having worked with people in IT security, I was told these breaches happen far more often then people realize since most companies don't notify the public when it happens unless they are forced to.
 
Sites get hacked. I had my info stolen when gawker was hacked. Broadband reports was hacked and that got my info there too. Lastpass was hacked and they notified me that my info may have been compromised. Then of course the recent sony hacks. And that's only the recent stuff.

No, i'd rather setup my own server and be my own cloud.
 
Imagine if someone hacked iCloud and found out I had 3 different versions of Katrina and the Waves singing Walking on Sunshine...

My world would come to an end.
 
once you cross a certain point in terms of cloud you just stop caring. If someone hack my Gmail account I could be in some major trouble as so much of my world is on that cloud.
 
kppolich said:
do you need to register personal information (specifically credit card info) in order to be on the 'cloud'???
Click to expand...

If you sign up for itunes match then yes.

But it still has your personal documents(potentially) backups of your devices which do have your personal info. Your email.
 
marksman said:
Imagine if someone hacked iCloud and found out I had 3 different versions of Katrina and the Waves singing Walking on Sunshine...
Click to expand...

I'm going to have to report this post. Owning 3 versions of Walking on Sunshine should be against forum rules.

I'm not worried about iCloud. Apple already have my card details, email address etc.
 
marksman said:
Imagine if someone hacked iCloud and found out I had 3 different versions of Katrina and the Waves singing Walking on Sunshine...

My world would come to an end.
Click to expand...

Erm... what's so bad about that? I have a few songs from Martha and the Muffins - that's got to be worse.
 
JASApplications said:
I'm not worried Apple having my details. I'm worried about hackers and fraudsters having my details.
Click to expand...

That's what I meant. I've already given Apple plenty of personal details, if they get into the wrong hands I don't think the extra information iCloud will yield will be that important.
 
iStudentUK said:
That's what I meant. I've already given Apple plenty of personal details, if they get into the wrong hands I don't think the extra information iCloud will yield will be that important.
Click to expand...

The issue is that icloud is a much larger and more public target with millions of people accessing it daily for several different types of data. Easier to hack.
And there was an article from just yesterday about how itunes may have been compromised.
 
archer75 said:
No, i'd rather setup my own server and be my own cloud.
Click to expand...

That would just vastly increase the chances of your data being stolen. Hacks are common but they are even more common when the servers are run by one man without the backup of significant security experts to help.

At the end of the day, any data you store on a computer / mobile phone / whatever that is connected to the internet is vulnerable to being stolen. If you want your data to be safe, disconnect your device from the internet. It is the only 100% guaranteed way to secure your data (unless someone breaks into your house and either hacks it there or just steals the device).
 
Cromulent said:
That would just vastly increase the chances of your data being stolen. Hacks are common but they are even more common when the servers are run by one man without the backup of significant security experts to help.
Click to expand...

Not really. I'm only one target. Somebody with the know how to execute this type of hack would have to have something against me personally to want to come after one individual. And I know how to secure it.

Cloud services are just one big target. You hack one and you get a much bigger payoff. Better to target that than one person. I have the advantage of being a small and insignificant target. But sure, it could happen.
As you said, the only way to be 100% secure online is not to be connected to the internet.
 
I dont think people are getting the point. I could care less about songs and apps.

just think what if someone got all your pictures, videos, contact list, text messages, dialed calls, notes (lottsa private stuff there)

thats a lot of personal info there
 
ani23 said:
I dont think people are getting the point. I could care less about songs and apps.

just think what if someone got all your pictures, videos, contact list, text messages, dialed calls, notes (lottsa private stuff there)

thats a lot of personal info there
Click to expand...

all they have to do now is fake an id that says they work for the library and they can have it anyway...

the bottom line is that most real and damaging compromises come from weak passwords and phishing scams..
 
I would be comfortable enabling iCloud to my iDevices but would still be cautious until they released some basic encryption and security information. Also secure synchronization via kerberos would be a good thing if they have it enabled on their servers. Only time will tell but at least it's an all-encompassing synchronization service that's free.:)
 
ani23 said:
While I love the concept what really scares me is if somehow my password is compromised essentially they can replicate pretty much most of my sensitive data to any phone they own.

All that stands between your pics contacts etc is a username password.

Now this is similar to other things like gmail etc but for some reason so much data protected just by this one challenge seems scary to me.

Obviously icloud is optional but wanted to get people's thoughts about it.
Click to expand...

i'm not sure why everyone is acting scared about this now. What if someone hacks your email and goes through and finds email of where you bank etc. they can easily type in your email and do forgot password etc.

i understand why people are concerned, but this is the internet. it can be done currently without the cloud. you'd be surprised how much information people post on facebook etc.
 
I'm wary because apple has yet to impress me with their ability to protect and back up my data.

I had an issue with my emails and based on the lack of support and problems I ran into. I am more concerned.
 
I' m a bit worried about committing all my data into the cloud.

Not because I'm worried someone will be able to access it (I don't think I have anything interesting enough to "steal"), but because I'm worried it will be lost (either by a mistake/bug, ie. like when I updated the iCal library a while back and lost all things older that 6 months across all Mobile Me devices, or by policy, ie. US legal authorities figures out something utterly uninteresting, harmless and entirely legal here in Europe, is against US rules and therefor should be deleted).

Now, as with the iCal eff up I had backup and could restore the data, but it was kind of a hassle, and it took a while before I discovered it was gone (and I could - potentially - have overwritten the old clones as well as Time Machine backups), so I didn't like that.

You can say I'm like the grumpy old men a hundred years ago or more who didn't really trust banks and kept all their money under the mattress... :p

marksman said:
Imagine if someone hacked iCloud and found out I had 3 different versions of Katrina and the Waves singing Walking on Sunshine...
Click to expand...
VulchR said:
Erm... what's so bad about that? I have a few songs from Martha and the Muffins - that's got to be worse.
Click to expand...
That's nothing. ;)
 
I'm not 100% comfortable with the cloud just yet, though I do use cloud computing in some capacity every day.

At the end of the day, people have to remember that this isn't sony. I doubt apple is keeping our information as plain text. Have a hard to guess password and don't make it the same as passwords on your other accounts. Even if you do use the same password for a bunch of stuff, be sure to change it with something cloud-based like this for added security. That way, even if account information is hacked at some point all the hacker would have is a md5 or sha1 hash of your password, maybe even AES depending on what kind of encryption apple uses. I somehow trust apple with this kind of stuff more than say sony or google (with sony being by FAR the worst out of anyone doing cloud stuff) but that doesn't mean I won't be cautious. The reason I have a vague distrust of google is that they're in it 100% for ad revenue which means they use your personal information a lot more. iCloud being ad-free is nice and apple knows they can make money off of the entire ecosystem of idevices, macs, and cloud based connections between the two without having to make extra money off of your personal information.
 
I really dont see the concern... Its not like your music is a matter of national security. Your email can be hacked very easy and there is nothing you can do to change that, regardless of what ISP or exchange system you use.... Your contacts are just as easy to hack now because they are with your email... and I highly doubt someone cares that you are texting the girl next door googly faces... Any real privacy concerns would be encrypted which is also kind of a joke.... If they would wipe everything out your itunes has a back up... If you really have a concern then Don't use iCloud and have fun setting up your own..... on another note, I would bet that Apple is spending more on securing their cloud than you will ever make in a lifetime.... SOOOO do what you want Have fun!
 
ani23 said:
I dont think people are getting the point. I could care less about songs and apps.

just think what if someone got all your pictures, videos, contact list, text messages, dialed calls, notes (lottsa private stuff there)

thats a lot of personal info there
Click to expand...

Ok, but I'd be in far worse shape if Bank of America got hacked.

I mean, you have a point but I'd be more worried about my g-mail and my bank account LONG before I was worried about a hacker seeing that I text-messaged my mom yesterday.

In other words, iCloud is somewhat far down my list of worries.
 
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