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iPhone 4 - Are we being watched?

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proathlete03

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 10, 2007
57
0
My question is... With the iPhone 4 being jailbroken and everyone being able to view the root directory, what exactly is being stored on the iPhone that we wouldn't already know about. Obviously geo-tagging would store location info on pictures and web cache / history needs to be emptied out, but is there a hidden file that captures more data that we just don't know about???

Any input? With HandyLight sneaking through the app store, I bet someone could put malicious code that transmits personal info (location or data from phone). This really should be explored!!!


From the front page of FoxNews.com
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/08/07/smart-crooks-dont-use-smartphones/?test=latestnews

"There's plenty of information an iPhone hangs onto," Jonathan Zdziarski, author of iPhone Forensics, told FoxNews.com. "For example, the iPhone takes a screen shot every time you hit the home button, including shots of your e-mail with the time stamped on it."

Mapping software will store locations you've searched or directions you've received.

The auto correcting typing feature of iPhones actually stores words you've typed, which could potentially be accessed months after a message was sent and deleted

Do you carefully delete all of that personal data to play it safe? No matter, it still may be accessible to thieves or law enforcement.
 
BIG GOVERNMENT IS WATCHING YOU THROUGH YOUR PHONE. ONLY FOX NEWS CAN PROTECT YOU, BUT ONLY IF YOU BUY SOME GOLD.

Seriously, it's a Fox News article. Take it with a grain of salt.
 
Well, I hate fox news as much as the next guy but nothing they said was incorrect. Sorry that I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt here but it is a very real possibility that devs could sneak in a code that takes pictures of you via frontal camera, keeps running in the background(multitasking anybody?) to capture what you've been texting, or even utilize the geotagging feature to send your location to God-knows-who.

You all are quick to jump to the usual "Oh it's Fox News, it HAS to be wrong."(and trust me, I do that A LOT too). I guarantee if it was a CNN source you guys would make no quip about it (me included).

But whatever, I know my post is controversial and will probably attract a lot of flaming.
 
dscuber9000 said:
BIG GOVERNMENT IS WATCHING YOU THROUGH YOUR PHONE. ONLY FOX NEWS CAN PROTECT YOU, BUT ONLY IF YOU BUY SOME GOLD.

Seriously, it's a Fox News article. Take it with a grain of salt.
Click to expand...

I'd rather buy gold then give it to the cash for gold hustlers.

Those guys are unreal.
 
I hate the news if I would of saw this while watching tv and a prieview came up I would stay up and make shure I watch to see how wrong they are. Most of the time anything about tech all the news channels are wrong. I would seriously call or email them a serious mad call/email. This stuff pisses me off. When people bash things or get people scared when they have no idea.

And the answere to ur question, it is possible but threre is like a zero percent chance it will happen. For all the things they are talking about Only the govt or A person at the company can access unless they have the phone itself. And I could care less because a full scale investigation is on the way if its that bad, they can have my pictures and emails. The only thing I care for would be as they stated is banking info. And if ur jailbrokentgere is line a 2 percent chance somthing will happen. Usually the things u downlode are pretty popular and have a little box saying they are signed (I think that means ur good to go) And u can change the root/mobile password to whatever u want so they can't get root access. And I might not know what I'm talking about but I'll admit that, damb new channels :( lol
 
All you Fox New "haters" just keep drinking the CNN "mainstream liberal media" kool aid until you are paying 80% taxes in the US.... That is IF you have a job!
 
At the risk of getting too much more off topic I'll just add this. Anyone paying attention to anything a cable news station (any of them) has to say is crazy.

To get back to proathlete03...Much of the stuff reported has been known for a while. The news stations are just drumming up older stuff and trying to cause some hype as usual. There's really very little to be concerned about regarding what the phone does.
 
I don't see this as being controversial. Of course they can access a lot of data from a smart phone using forensic data mining.

Does anyone doubt this?

The issue is two fold, one, are you suspected of a crime that warrants the expense, and two, can this data be exploited by others easily. There is a lot of data that can be pieced together if they are motivated!

The article mentions the iPhone because of its popularity and clearly points out that other smart phones can also be forensically examined. Lighten up guys and don't shoot the messenger, even if you hate the messenger and have closed your minds! The message is accurate.
 
I think the article does raise a good point. Many iPhone users, like the ones who don't spend their time scouring MacRumors and other forums/blogs, never think about how the iPhone geotags photos and tweets, stores locations you've searched, or has cookies for sites you've visited. Apps like Gowalla and Foursquare could easily be used for malicious reasons if you aren't careful.

It all comes down to common sense and a little education in the capabilities of a smartphone. Whether it comes from the Right or Left, it's a good thing for people to be made aware.
 
lol..i feel sorry for who ever wants to spy on me, they'd fall asleep watching me live LOL(im not that interesting i dont think LOL)
 
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