Last week, Apple's Marketing SVP Phil Schiller tweeted out a link to a mobile malware report that showed Android devices accounted for a staggering 79% of new mobile threats last year, while iOS devices accounted for just 0.7%.
Of course, the fact that he tweeted the link was far more surprising than the report's data. After all, we've known for years that Android is far more susceptible to mobile malware than iOS. Right? Security experts say not so fast...
Phil Schiller, although probably the most active Twitter user of the Apple executive team, doesn't tweet much. And when he does, it's usually generic things like "new Flipboard app for iPhone is very nice," or "way to go Giants!!!"
But the Worldwide Marketing SVP switched things up a bit this morning, tweeting out a very deliberate link to a new mobile malware report by F-Labs that slams Android for its malware issues, telling folks to "be safe out there..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKOj0GMf810#at=49
So what's up with Apple and the iPhone's Lock screen? I mean, the various Lock screen vulnerabilities have persisted in iOS since the first passcode flaw was discovered in iOS 2.0 - and that was way back in July of 2008. And now, in addition to a simple passcode bypass trick a YouTube user detailed on Valentine's Day, another method of circumventing the Lock screen passcode has been discovered and highlighted in a video above...
Investigators now believe a group of sophisticated Eastern European criminal hackers are responsible for a cyberattack on Apple and other U.S. technology and media firms. Until today, those probing the computer break-ins thought China was behind the electronic assaults. In Apple's case, malware placed on an iPhone developer website may have been used to 'bait' visitors, according to one report Wednesday.
According to Bloomberg, which anonymously cited people close to law enforcement, malware which other victims described as "sophisticated," was placed on the popular developer forum to potentially gain access to data stored on corporate computers...
Apple is just the latest technology firm to announce it was the victim of hackers. Tuesday, the iPhone maker announced a limited number of employee computers were affected, however software would be released today protecting consumers. The malware infected a limited number of Macs through a vulnerability in the Java plug-in for browsers, the company confirmed.
The announcement - unprecedented from the usually tight-lipped company - included a statement by Apple attempting to calm consumer fears, saying there was "no evidence" that any data leaked out. This comes on the heels Facebook had also been targeted by hackers. Friday, the social networking giant said hackers based in China breached employee laptops, but no Facebook user data was taken.
UPDATE: less than three hours later, Apple has pushed out a Java update to patch the vulnerability...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDkLpj3MM-c
Earlier this morning iDB warned you of a newly discovered security flaw in the recently released iOS 6.1 software. It's not the end of the world, but it isn't dismissible either as intruders can easily gain access to your iPhone and potentially compromise your data using a simple trick.
In a nutshell, in order to exploit the vulnerability one simply has to make and immediately cancel an emergency call on the Lock screen and then hold down the Sleep/Wake button twice. But worry not, privacy buffs, says Apple. The Cupertino company is aware of the issue, a solution is being worked on and a fix will be pushed in a future iOS software update. There, feeling better now?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP-w436CfvQ
The iOS Lock screen bug has reared its ugly head again. This time around, the security exploit isn't as straightforward as a 2011 issue which let intruders bypass your iPad's Lock screen using a Smart Cover. In a nutshell, this new exploit discovered by a YouTube user involves making and immediately canceling an emergency call and holding down the Sleep/Wake button twice.
As detailed in a video above by The Verge, the method enables an intruder to bypass the unlock feature on the Lock screen and gain immediate access to your private stuff, including iMessages, FaceTime, photos and more. The flaw is iOS 6.1-specific and since it involves using the emergency calling feature, it's likely that iPads and iPod touches are not susceptible. Go past the break for more information...
CACI, or Consolidated Analysis Center Incorporated, is a federal contractor that delivers various information technology services to government agencies. Its primary focus is security, and it goes through great lengths to provide protected business solutions for its clients.
A good example of this is the work it's doing with Apple's mobile products. In a recent interview, CACI's CEO Dan Allen said that his company has altered 'thousands' of iPads so that they can be used securely by high-ranking government officials—including the President...
Cloud computing has really taken off in recent years as a cheap, flexible way for folks to store their documents and data. Apple's iCloud service, for example, has garnered more than 250 million users in just a little over a year.
But while we're all busy uploading our lives to the cloud, it's worth mentioning that it's not totally secure from prying eyes. A recently renewed Surveillance Act gives US authorities permission to access your data without a warrant...
Last month, we reported that a JavaScript bug had been discovered involving Smart App Banners. Apple added the feature in iOS 6 as a way to help developers promote their apps and provide users with a direct link to download them.
Well as it turned out, these Smart Banners were enabling JavaScript in the iOS Settings app without user consent or knowledge. And this was considered to be a fairly serious security threat. But it looks like Apple has fixed it in iOS 6.1...
There's a suggestion floating around on tech blogs for setting 'unguessable passcodes' in iOS. The idea is to use alternate accented characters, which are hidden but easily accessible by holding down letters on the virtual keyboard. The thinking is these accented characters could be especially effective at thwarting guesses, as English speakers might not even realize that there are accents beneath the keys...
Want to send a picture or message but don't want it shared with friends, leaked all over the internet, and potentially traced back to you? Unless you're 100% certain that you can trust whoever you're sending a message to, then you shouldn't send it. The most popular temporary photo messaging apps can leak your data on devices that aren't even jailbroken, and with a few tweaks you can easily get past one of the most secure messaging apps available.
The current versions of Snapchat and Facebook Poke aren't secure apps. Evan Spiegal, Snapchat's founder, doesn't seem overly concerned about the possibility of users saving and sending their received pictures. In a comment to BuzzFeed Spiegal said: "The people who most enjoy using Snapchat are those who embrace the spirit and intent of the service. There will always be ways to reverse engineer technology products — but that spoils the fun!" That's not exactly what you want to hear if you're using the service to send pictures and video that you don't want publicly shared...