iphone privacy concerns

[beast260]

got an iphone 4 and started thinking that theoretically, a person could hack your iphone and control your camera, anyway to prevent this ?(im asking this question out of curiosity, im not a privacy nut )

 

[Applejuiced]

got an iphone 4 and started thinking that theoretically, a person could hack your iphone and control your camera, anyway to prevent this ?(im asking this question out of curiosity, im not a privacy nut )

How would someone hack your iphone and control your camera?
Let me get my tinfoil hat, glad you're not a privacy nut

 

[iApples]

Why would someone want to hack your camera? You're a guy... Unless the person is.. Well actually I don't want to get into that. I'm sure a female would be much preferred over you. You have nothing to worry about.

 

[BobbieM629]

Yea, i too am curious how this would happen?!

 

[PNutts]

I've been looking around and I don't see that this has ever been reported. But to answer your question, I would say that jailbreaking and installing dodgy apps would be one way it could happen.

 

[Apple OC]

smile ... btw ... nice shirt you're wearing

 

[iApples]

smile ... btw ... nice shirt you're wearing

Thanks man. Your girlfriend bought it for me. Would you like to say hi to her while she's still here?

How amazing would that be...

 

[chenks]

in theory it is possible if someone had jailbroken and hadn't changed the root password from the default, but in practice it's high unlikely.

 

[X2468]

If one is concerned about privacy, news flash: it's too late. Privacy is something that used to exist, but is only a myth at this late date.

 

[ucfgrad93]

got an iphone 4 and started thinking that theoretically, a person could hack your iphone and control your camera, anyway to prevent this ?(im asking this question out of curiosity, im not a privacy nut )

I don't think that this is possible.

 

[Krevnik]

I don't think that this is possible.

It's actually possible as long as the same exploits that allow websites like "Jailbreakme" to jailbreak your phone without ever plugging it in (although Apple is quick to close this class of security hole).

There are just a few hoops you have to get through first:
1) Need to exploit an app on the device.
2) Get out of the app sandbox (which Jailbreakme was able to do).
3) Edit the filesystem to include a new app, hide it.
4) Kick off the app.
5) Profit.

Keep in mind, Jailbreakme actually did all this. Right now, it seems that Mobile Safari does still have flaws in this category, although I'm not sure how far down they can get into the system with these exploits.

That all said, the odds of this actually happening are small. The exploits aren't in the wild, it isn't certain that they can escape the app sandbox (the Pwn2Own competition wasn't clear here), and there are better targets than the camera (account information, password, CC#s, etc).

 

[Interstella5555]

Why would someone want to hack your camera? You're a guy... Unless the person is.. Well actually I don't want to get into that. I'm sure a female would be much preferred over you. You have nothing to worry about.

Always amazed at the rampant homophobia in here. OP - That....can't happen, calm down and enjoy your phone.