Security/Privacy issue with the way iPhone can be synced or backed up

[inpulze]

Hello,

So it came to my attention how easy it is for anyone to backup your iPhone with iOS 4 to another computer and extract personal information like notes, SMS, calendar entries, contacts, pictures from it with third-party iPhone backup extractor even if your iPhone is passcode protected. There's no way to change this and encrypting the backup only affects the file created one one particular computer not any other backups done at other computers.

The stealing of information does not even require physical confiscation of the device. You just need a few minutes, any laptop equipped with iTunes and a cord. Since any iPhone will appear on iTunes, you just need to initiate a backup which does not require the iPhone to be synced to the particular iTunes library. After that, you just access the file with a program used to extract back up information and since notes, SMS, location data, pictures are not encrypted. All this information will be readily available for extraction.

Is there a workaround to prevent syncing or backing up unless a password is first entered on the iPhone?


Thanks

 

[phillyphill]

so what you're saying is if you're by my iPhone you can get my data without a cord? I'm confused by this, or are you saying if someone takes your iPhone for a quick second and backs it up they have your data. isn't that how it is with any device? like a blackberry?

 

[inpulze]

What I am saying is that It is certainly possible to access your data in your iPhone if your device is taken from you for a brief time span (depending on the size of your backup it could be as little as 3 minutes), then connected and backed up to a different computer even if your device is locked with a passcode... When you see ur device nothing will seem strange because the backup from iTunes does not require that the device be synced to that particular library. so when you see your phone it ll look the same as when you last used it.

 

[phillyphill]

I'm still not seeing that as an privacy issue, since the phone isn't in your possession. if someone takes your phone from you, you should consider your info compromised at that point. Regardless if there is a password on it or not. I guess just keep on eye on your phone and use the find my phone app if you think you've misplaced it to wipe it or a various app that does the same thing.