Serious security issue with mirroring

[Abazigal]

It's unlikely that anyone would wish to demonstrate that.
A simple toggle preventing notifications and passcodes/PINs from being mirrored would suffice.

As it is, the options already exist - do not disturb and toggling "mirror" off.

What's next - should there be a toggle preventing passwords from being shown on the screen as they are being typed? What's wrong with simply toggling off the "mirror" option in the airplay option in the first place?

 

[sunking101]

As it is, the options already exist - do not disturb and toggling "mirror" off.

What's next - should there be a toggle preventing passwords from being shown on the screen as they are being typed? What's wrong with simply toggling off the "mirror" option in the airplay option in the first place?

I don't use the feature (or haven't yet) so don't really have an issue with it, but it does seem rather inconvenient to have to switch mirroring off and on when passwords etc are to be entered. Sure mirroring is as the name suggests, but it's fairly obvious that most people won't want sensitive passwords displayed on other screens.

 

[C DM]

You are assuming this is indeed a problem with airplay-mirroring itself, rather than it simply working as intended, and the user himself trying to find fault where none existed.

What's next? Should, as suggested earlier, all notifications automatically be suspended for as long as my iPad is being mirrored? What if I want them to come in (say as a demonstration of how push notifications work)?

They can be via DND being enabled by default when you start AirPlay and you can disable if desired. But even that aside at least the DND option is there (now) and can easily be enabled or disabled as desired for those purposes. Crazy idea to have fairly straightforward options available to the user should the user need them, isn't it.

----------

As it is, the options already exist - do not disturb and toggling "mirror" off.

What's next - should there be a toggle preventing passwords from being shown on the screen as they are being typed? What's wrong with simply toggling off the "mirror" option in the airplay option in the first place?

Nothing really wrong with it, just makes more sense and is more convenient not having to do that. Just like there wouldn't be much wrong with putting your phone on silent and disabling vibrate in silent not to be bothered by notifications, yet Apple brought us DND to make it that much more convenient and even better. Just because there are workarounds for something doesn't mean it can't be done better and more straightforward or shouldn't be simply because of that.

 

[I7guy]

They can be via DND being enabled by default when you start AirPlay and you can disable if desired. But even that aside at least the DND option is there (now) and can easily be enabled or disabled as desired for those purposes. Crazy idea to have fairly straightforward options available to the user should the user need them, isn't it.

----------


Nothing really wrong with it, just makes more sense and is more convenient not having to do that. Just like there wouldn't be much wrong with putting your phone on silent and disabling vibrate in silent not to be bothered by notifications, yet Apple brought us DND to make it that much more convenient and even better. Just because there are workarounds for something doesn't mean it can't be done better and more straightforward or shouldn't be simply because of that.

This issue is not unique to iphone; I have the same issue with windows desktops on a projector. Apple could put more options in for sure to address this and other things, but if they keep at it, it will be like configuring windows with literally hundreds of options all over the place.

 

[C DM]

This issue is not unique to iphone; I have the same issue with windows desktops on a projector. Apple could put more options in for sure to address this and other things, but if they keep at it, it will be like configuring windows with literally hundreds of options all over the place.

Not everything has to or actually does turn into a slippery slope. And Apple is known to put some more care into things of this type of "it just works" small details in many places. So not really all that outlandish or inconceivable.

 

[I7guy]

Not everything has to or actually does turn into a slippery slope. And Apple is known to put some more care into things of this type of "it just works" small details in many places. So not really all that outlandish or inconceivable.

This particular isue has nothing to do with AirPlay, it's a core function of a password field to see the typed letter for a fraction of a second. Sure they can add a privacy option to turn that function off, but the slippery slope is altering the video stream.

 

[C DM]

This particular isue has nothing to do with AirPlay, it's a core function of a password field to see the typed letter for a fraction of a second. Sure they can add a privacy option to turn that function off, but the slippery slope is altering the video stream.

It has everything to do with AitPlay/mirroring--some things (as in private items like PIN/password entry) can be done smarter/better when it comes to sharing content with more people.

 

[I7guy]

It has everything to do with AitPlay/mirroring--some things (as in private items like PIN/password entry) can be done smarter/better when it comes to sharing content with more people.

Well as a user I don't want my video stream altered, I want "wysiwig" for lack for a better term, even if it means my password is displayed. So I guess there could be a bunch of options for airplay:

- completely hide password fields
- mute phone but allow important calls to go though/don't allow calls
- allow/disallow notifications

I guess there could be a laundry list of additional things, all can be addressed in someway shape or fashion in other places. If you realize airplay is like someone holding a video camera over your phone, you will treat it accordingly.

Even for the unknowing, maybe an acceptance agreement before first use stating a replica of your phone screen will be displayed on the target device, so take appropriate precautions. Similar to what most built-in car navs make you do, every time you start the car.

 

[C DM]

Well as a user I don't want my video stream altered, I want "wysiwig" for lack for a better term, even if it means my password is displayed. So I guess there could be a bunch of options for airplay:

- completely hide password fields
- mute phone but allow important calls to go though/don't allow calls
- allow/disallow notifications

I guess there could be a laundry list of additional things, all can be addressed in someway shape or fashion in other places. If you realize airplay is like someone holding a video camera over your phone, you will treat it accordingly.

Even for the unknowing, maybe an acceptance agreement before first use stating a replica of your phone screen will be displayed on the target device, so take appropriate precautions. Similar to what most built-in car navs make you do, every time you start the car.

Well, all those options already exist aside from the password one. Not automatically enabled but they are there at least. Apple added them themselves. So again doesn't seem like a stretch at all to have passwords not appearing or at least an option for that.

Seems like a lot of explaining away of a useful feature. Just like a bunch of people did about DND before Apple introduced it and then everyone praised it suddenly. Or larger screens, or fingerprint scanning, etc., etc., etc.

 

[I7guy]

Well, all those options already exist aside from the password one. Not automatically enabled but they are there at least. Apple added them themselves. So again doesn't seem like a stretch at all to have passwords not appearing or at least an option for that.

Seems like a lot of explaining away of a useful feature. Just like a bunch of people did about DND before Apple introduced it and then everyone praised it suddenly. Or larger screens, or fingerprint scanning, etc., etc., etc.

Other than turning on airplane mode, I don't quite think before DND there was a real acceptable alternative or maybe so convoluted as to not be worth it.

The only useful feature would be to completely hide input into a password field or make it just so for the login screen. But I think even think that has it's downside if turned on. Of course the workaround it to login in first, or enable touch id, before opening up your phone to the world.

Of course, as I said more options are always better, but the more that's added due to the increased flexibility the harder it is to configure as every minute aspect of IOS is controlled.