Security

Apple pushes OS X security update with Safari 7.0.3

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 22, 2014

After pushing iOS 7.1.1 with additional Touch ID improvements and a pair of bug fixes for the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Apple TV devices, Apple has now released a minor software update containing security fixes for OS X systems and the Mac's Safari browser.

Officially titled 'Security Update 2014-002 1.0', the download comes in at eighty megabytes and includes patches for Safari vulnerabilities and bug fixes for the rest of OS X.

Apple wholeheartedly recommends this OS X update for all OS X Mavericks users because it improves compatibility, stability and security of your computer. A reboot is required after applying the software...

Watchout for Unflod, a malware targeting jailbroken devices

Sébastien Page ∙ April 18, 2014

We often praise iOS as a very secure platform, and this is mostly true, as many studies have confirmed over the years. But sometimes, it's not so much the platform that is responsible for the lack of security, it is the user himself.

The perfect illustration of this is when you jailbreak your device. By gaining root access to your iPhone or iPad, you start walking outside of Apple's walled garden and actually put yourself at risk of having untrusted files installed on your device without your knowledge.

As a jailbreaker myself, I am very well aware of the risks, but I do not mind them because the benefits usually far outweigh the drawbacks, and I assume most jailbreak users feel the same.

This being said, a new malware called Unflod has been targeting jailbroken devices for a few weeks. While there is still a lot we don't know about Unflod, the little information we have about it is enough to raise concerns...

Apple joins Google, HTC and others to curb smartphone theft

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Apple has entered into the "Smartphone Anti-Theft Voluntary Commitment" with HTC, Motorola, Samsung, and others, to curb the smartphone theft epidemic that has been plaguing many city streets.

Under the voluntary agreement, the manufacturers are planning to add several new security features to their smartphones going on sale after July 2015, to make for an industry standard.

Under the Commitment, manufacturers' smartphones must:

Galaxy S5 fingerprint scanner isn’t immune, can also be tricked like iPhone 5s

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

The fingerprint scanner on Samsung's flagship Galaxy S5 is suffering from the same security flaw as the fingerprint scanner on the iPhone 5s, creating a bit of a risk for owners.

Germany-based security blog H Security found that using a wood glue mold from the fingerprint already set on the Galaxy S5, someone else could gain unauthorized access to your phone. Given Samsung's fingerprint scanner tie-ins with the PayPal app, this means not only contacts and photos are up for grabs, but mobile payments, as well.

1Password for Mac and iOS 50% off in wake of Heartbleed bug

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

If you've been holding out on purchasing Agile Bits' popular 1Password app due to price tag, you may want to pay attention. In wake of the nasty Heartbleed bug that has compromised millions and millions of usernames and passwords this week, the developers have decided to discount both Mac and iOS versions of the app by 50%...

iOS, OS X and key iCloud services not affected by Heartbleed, Apple confirms

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 27, 2016

If you've as much as glanced at what's your inbox lately, chances are you've encountered messages in which your favorite apps and services announce emergency password resets in the wake of Heartbleed, a nasty bug that's attacking millions of websites. And unless you've been sleeping under a rock for the past week, you must be aware by now that a shockingly high number of websites are at risk.

The latest security scare stems from a devastating flaw in the OpenSSL software many websites use to authorize login sessions and encrypt and transmit user data. Long story short, the exploit allows attackers to easily scoop up the website’s encryption keys, passwords and user content, prompting tons of emergency password resets by some of the Internet's most popular services.

But what about your Apple ID? Have the keys to your account in the Apple cloud been compromised? How about iCloud or the App Store? According to an Apple spokesperson, its iOS and OS X platforms are protected against Heartbleed. Do I hear a collective sigh of relief?

MathPass: use simple math problems to unlock your iPhone

Jeff Benjamin ∙ March 31, 2014

MathPass is an interesting new jailbreak tweak that's perfect for those who are just beginning to learn multiplication, or for those who just want to stay alert and have a little fun doing it. MathPass asks you to answer simple multiplication problems from the Lock screen, with the product being the Passcode that will unlock your device.

For example, MathPass might ask: ten times one is? Your answer would then be 0010. It's 0010 and not just 10, because you're required to enter a four digit passcode in order to unlock your device. That's pretty much the whole gist of MathPass in a nutshell; check out more detail inside.

QuickPass: enable or disable the passcode with a handy toggle

Jeff Benjamin ∙ March 27, 2014

QuickPass is a recently released jailbreak tweak that allows you to quickly disable the passcode lock on your iOS device using a handy toggle found in the stock Settings app. QuickPass is a great tool when you encounter situations where it would be easier to have no passcode on your device at all.

I find QuickPass useful when reviewing jailbreak tweaks, especially tweaks where I'm required to respring a lot. Have a look inside for a full video walkthrough showcasing how the tweak works.

Russian government dumps iPads for Samsung tablets

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Russia's telecoms minister Nikolai Nikiforov told news agencies yesterday that government officials for the country recently traded in their iPads for Samsung tablets. Reporters spotted the new devices at a cabinet meeting, and the minister explained that the changeover was due to security concerns.

"Some of the information at government meetings is confidential in nature," he said, "and these devices fully meet these demands and have gone through the strictest system of certification." And the timing of the switch is certainly interesting, considering what's going on at the Russia/Ukraine border...

Hackers caught using EA Games servers to phish for Apple IDs

Cody Lee ∙ March 19, 2014

According to a new report from security research firm Netcraft, Electronic Arts' servers have been compromised. Two websites from the video game publisher's domain have been hacked and are now hosting phishing pages setup to steal Apple ID and credit card information.

It works like this: when a potential victim arrives at one of the pages, they are asked to enter their Apple ID and password. Once completed, they're taken to a second page which asks for personal details and credit card info, and then redirected to the official Apple ID website...

Geohot wins $150,000 for exposing ChromeOS exploits

Cody Lee ∙ March 15, 2014

Google held its Pwnium 4 security competition last week at CanSecWest in Vancouver, Canada. The day-long event ended with hundreds of thousands of dollars being awarded to hackers who demonstrated exploits in Google Chrome. And believe it or not, $150,000 of that went to Geohot.

For those not familiar with the name, Geohot has picked up a number of headlines over the past 7 years. After hacking the iPhone he took his talents to the PS3, where he caused enough chaos to get sued by Sony. And he's since been spotted at Facebook, iOSDevCamp and various other places...

PhotoAlbums+ for iOS 7: move, secure, and share photos more efficiently

Jeff Benjamin ∙ March 13, 2014

I have to be honest with you and state that for whatever reason, I've never been a big fan of PhotoAlbums+. I've never been big on taking photos with my iPhone, and I certainly don't take photos that I care about hiding from others. That being said, PhotoAlbums+ contains features that jailbreakers should definitely be aware of—features that may help your workflow when it comes to photo management on iOS.

The iOS 7 compatible version of PhotoAlbums+ just recently touched down for both the iPhone and the iPad. Check past the break as we go hands-on in our video walkthrough...