IT Security Stack Exchange
IT Security Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [iphone]

The iPhone is a line of smart phones designed by Apple Inc, running Apple's iOS mobile operating system. The first generation iPhone was released in 2007 and has followed an annual release schedule since.

The iPhone is a line of smart phones designed by Apple Inc, running Apple's iOS mobile operating system. The first generation iPhone was released in 2007 and has followed an annual release schedule since.

This tag should be used when asking questions specific to the iPhone device. For questions relating to the iOS operating system, use the tag instead.

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Why can't the FBI read the key embedded in the iPhone's secure chip/ROM directly from hardware (silicon)?

As far as I understand, the 4 digit passcode is combined (in some fashion) with a key stored in secure read only memory (e.g. secure enclave chip or similar), where it is directly embedded into silicon wiring to help prevent unauthorized reads. But…
user9806
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Can phone apps read my clipboard?

Via Hacker News, I came across a Tweet implying that Facebook's iOS app routinely reads and transmits all content from the user's pasteboard. Leaving aside whether Facebook's app genuinely does this (which is a separate question), is this possible?…
Mark Amery
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How to securely dispose of a smartphone?

How to dispose of a smartphone (it's an iPhone 5) at home? I was reading through this SE site questions and found this one which hardly applies here. Besides, I'd want to do it so that: It's not damaging the ecology (at least not too much) I don't…
Alma Do
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Why is iPhone's internal storage so hard to crack/decrypt?

I’ve heard about a rule in Information Security, that once a hacker has access to your physical machine, then it’s all over. However, there seems to be a big exception to this rule: iPhones. It was all over the news a while back that the CIA (or the…
Melkor
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Should I be concerned about strange, new iPhone app appearing after repair?

I had my iPhone battery replaced in a phone repair shop. After collecting it, I noticed that there is a strange new app installed, some "Chinese" web browser. It has no alphanumeric name and nothing in the interface was in English. I spoke with the…
Rafi Rosa
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49
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2 answers

"This used to be my phone number"

I added a new phone line and someone called claiming to be the previous owner of the phone number. He requested that I forward information a text message (He wanted me to forward 2 Factor Authentication information that would be sent to my new…
gatorback
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5 answers

Bring your own phone to a (new) job: Consequences?

I am starting a new job, and I have the choice to receive a phone from the company, or to bring my own. I am considering using my own phone, to avoid having an extra device, but I want to better understand the consequences of that decision. I have…
aliteralmind
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How did FBI/DoJ retrieve the data stored on the encrypted iPhone?

Quote from The New York Times: The Justice Department said Monday that it had found a way to unlock an iPhone without help from Apple, allowing the agency to withdraw its legal effort to compel the company to assist in a mass-shooting …
Evgeniy Chekan
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Is there any hope of getting my pictures back after an iPhone factory reset some day in the future?

Four months ago I lost all my data after an iTunes update automatically restored my phone to factory defaults. I lost all the pictures of my newborn. I understand that when you do a factory reset the decryption key is discarded so the data is…
Vivi
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Why do web sites show my iPhone using different IP addresses for HTTP and HTTPS (cellular only)?

While testing a recent adtech integration I noticed something I can't explain. The iPhone uses two IP addresses. Seemingly one for HTTP and one for HTTPS. To further confuse things it only happens when the device is not on wifi. Although, the only…
Greg Dean
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Why does an iphone require me to enter the passcode and not accept my fingerprints when I switch it on after power off?

By not accepting my fingerprints and asking for passcode, how is it more secure? I believe checking fingerprints is a more secure way as compared to entering a passcode.
one
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Is iPhone's fingerprint signature a one-way hash?

I've been considering the security of the iPhone 5S fingerprint feature. My main concern is, not that someone could replicate my fingerprint in the physical world and bypass the phone, however that someone could reconstruct my fingerprint based on…
Seth
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Snowden: "The NSA can remotely turn on your iPhone."

Watching the Snowden interview last night, Brian Williams asks him what degree of control the NSA has over smartphones -- in particular, whether or not they can remotely turn them on in order to collect data. Snowden replies "Yes" and goes on to say…
Patrick Collins
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Best practices for securing an iPhone

As this question on voicemail protection got answers veering more to protecting the mobile phone, I thought I should add a specific question on this topic. There is already a question on protecting your Android phone There is a wide range of attacks…
Rory Alsop
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iPhone Tracking debacle - risks and countermeasures

For those of you who are not familiar with the topic, a quick search will turn up a lot of hits, e.g. see the researcher's report at Got an iPhone or 3G iPad? Apple is recording your moves - O'Reilly Radar and their application at…
AviD
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