iPod touch What if you Stole my iPod?

[acedew]

Ok, done some Googling and searching here at the Mac Rumors forums, but I couldn't get all of my questions answered. I have the Passcode on my 2G Touch set to prompt Immediately, and to erase my data if 10 incorrect passcodes are tried. If my iPod is stolen (hopefully in Sleep mode), the thief will only be able to use the double-click music controls, right? I'm primarily concerned about someone being able to use my email accounts should the Touch get stolen, I don't care too much about music, movies, photos or the web. I might care about Google maps if I've done a recent search around my house, unless they use it to return it to me .

What will happen when they plug it into their home computer with iTunes? What will they be able to see or edit any settings or data, and will they be prompted for my passcode?

And finally, are there ways (legitimate or otherwise) around the Touch's passcode? I don't need to know how, I just want to know if I'm wasting my time using this feature.

Thanks

 

[biikman]

Ok, done some Googling and searching here at the Mac Rumors forums, but I couldn't get all of my questions answered. I have the Passcode on my 2G Touch set to prompt Immediately, and to erase my data if 10 incorrect passcodes are tried. If my iPod is stolen (hopefully in Sleep mode), the thief will only be able to use the double-click music controls, right? I'm primarily concerned about someone being able to use my email accounts should the Touch get stolen, I don't care too much about music, movies, photos or the web. I might care about Google maps if I've done a recent search around my house, unless they use it to return it to me .

What will happen when they plug it into their home computer with iTunes? What will they be able to see or edit any settings or data, and will they be prompted for my passcode?

And finally, are there ways (legitimate or otherwise) around the Touch's passcode? I don't need to know how, I just want to know if I'm wasting my time using this feature.

Thanks

I'm not an expert, but unless they get exrememly lucky and guess it, they would have to do a restore and then they could use the ipod fully. Upside (if there is one) is that all your info would be gone.

 

[slomifier]

If it's locked, you would think that the only thing you can do is the music controls, but I found out on my 1G iTouch that if you have jailbroken Ipod, and its SSH'able, you can get onto the iPod, even if it's locked. You can't see the home screen or anything, but someone could copy and paste the stuff from your ipod, and put into theirs, they could get at your stuff.

Basically, locking your iPod doesn't always prevent it from being SSH'able

 

[OnTheiTouch2G]

If I stole your iPod I wouldn't be particularly interested in your email address, I'd probably prefer it restore itself

 

[Obama]

Off topic. I dl'd a free app called 'If Found'. You can put your contact info and reward info. You can also save the info as your home screen so when they press the home button they see your contact/return/reward/ info.

 

[acedew]

well, thanks for the replies. It's definitely more the content of the emails that I would be worried about than the email address itself. But, maybe I'll checkout that app in case someone as nice as ontheitouch2g gets a hold of it . I don't plan on jailbreaking my iPod, but could the thief get it and jailbreak it and install ssh? If not, then I'll probably still lock mine.

 

[Dixie9064]

Has anyone tried using GadgetTrak? It's a tracking software for all sorts of devices including iPods. It's $14.95 to register one item. I have looked at the website but just not sure if it works: http://www.gadgettrak.com/products/usbtrak/ . I've already spent so much $$ on my iPod Touch that it seems like a small price to pay to maybe get it back.

 

[California King]

Well since every iPod has it's own unique serial number, couldn't you just contact Apple and have them find your iPod once it gets connected to iTunes?

Also, if I found an iPod, I would probably just restore it.

 

[dubhe]

Well since every iPod has it's own unique serial number, couldn't you just contact Apple and have them find your iPod once it gets connected to iTunes?.

I doubt apple would invest in setting up someone to co-ordinate that. But, from a security point of view, your iPod would likely be stolen to sell or for use by the thief, either way they are going to reset/restore and will unlikely have any interest in your data. If they wanted that they would go for your laptop

 

[acedew]

I doubt apple would invest in setting up someone to co-ordinate that. But, from a security point of view, your iPod would likely be stolen to sell or for use by the thief, either way they are going to reset/restore and will unlikely have any interest in your data. If they wanted that they would go for your laptop

Agree on the Apple part. But I'm less likely to leave my laptop lying around, I don't have it with me as often, and the drive is encrypted and it's password protected.

Am I the only person who thinks it would be dangerous for someone to have uninhibited access to my email, both sending and receiving? Seems like many sites that require logins will send your password to your email, no questions asked. I also have receipts with addresses, shipping tracking, flight confirmations (as in, when I will be out of town), and all kinds personal information in my inbox. I think I'm most likely to lose my iPod close to home, I can be a pretty forgetful person at times, and I would be nervous knowing that someone nearby had that kind of access to my information. I'd have to change my email addresses, and I guess my .Mac account as well. It would be nice to know that my iPod is just as protected with a passcode (and the auto erase feature) as my Mac is protected by my login so that I don't have to panic if I ever lose it. I'm surprised that Apple doesn't make a bigger deal of advertising security on a device that is in many ways a computer in your pocket.

 

[dubhe]

I see your point, I have a BlackBerry and that has everything. I do know all of my logins though, as I use Password Repository to keep them all on my MacBook, so at least I would know which ones to change pretty quicky. Most logins though use a user name, not an email address so would be Ok.

 

[Lunchbox700]

Well since every iPod has it's own unique serial number, couldn't you just contact Apple and have them find your iPod once it gets connected to iTunes?

Also, if I found an iPod, I would probably just restore it.

This has been discussed on here before Apple will not help you if its stolen.