Security

If James Bond had an iPhone, he'd be using Wickr. Secret messaging between iOS devices has been around for some time, with apps such as Black SMS which encrypt messages to keep them private. Now a free app known as Wickr has taken the concept to a new level.

Not only does Wickr encrypt messages in transit, keeping them away from prying eyes, but the app actually is capable of sending self-destructing messages with a limited lifespan. After these messages are received, they are securely erased from the recipient's iOS device based on the sender's instructions.

A new security vulnerability on the Apple iPhone has been discovered that can expose photo albums stored on the device. Although this sounds like a dangerous breach of privacy there are several things that must happen before a complete stranger can view your pictures without entering a passcode. This is of course assuming you use a passcode to protect your data.

First of all, your iPhone must have iOS 5 or later installed. This adds the Camera shortcut icon to the home screen when the home button is double-pressed. Secondly your iPhone must fall into the wrong hands, with someone taking possession of your device who would care about finding and viewing your photos.

You might think that wiping your lost or stolen iOS device would prevent another party from receiving messages via iMessage on the wiped device. As it turns out, Apple will be doing some work to issue a security update in future iterations of iMessage.

Users have discovered through an unpleasant trial and error process that the only way to stop text messages coming in via the iMessage service is to change your Apple ID. Wiping the lost iPhone and deactivating the phone number does nothing to stop a thief from receiving and reading your iMessages. These texts will be delivered to your old iPhone as well as the new one you just purchased to replace the lost device.

Some of you may be wondering if Siri is too good to be true. After all, the technology offers to solve many of your problems via real-time speech interaction. Voice dictation of texts and search parameters is convenient, but at what price? Battery power is not the only thing sacrificed using Siri on the iPhone 4S, that is unless you check your security settings.

Turns out that Siri (much like Voice Control before its time) can access a whole range of functions without ever entering the passcode lock number that protects your iPhone. Reports have indicated that Siri is capable of changing calendar appointments, writing text messages and sending emails, all without ever entering the passcode that normally protects your iPhone 4S.

Apple should stock up on Kensington's new BungeeAir iPhone alarms. This case doesn't protect your iPhone from falls, but warns you via a wireless security tether when you get a certain distance away from your phone. The distance can be decreased or increased to your liking with the BungeeAir app. This is the perfect invention for people who love to leave iPhone prototypes in California bars!

The 3-in-1 accessory for the iPhone is a wireless tether, battery and case. You just put your iPhone inside the case, attach the tether to your keys or pants, and you will never lose your iPhone ever again... Or at least that's the theory. If you still manage to forget your phone, the case automatically invokes the iPhone's passcode security. You can then locate it by using the "find" button which sounds another alarm on the device.

The same PDF vulnerability that Apple has patched in iOS 4.3.4 and iOS 4.2.9 can be patched with a free tweak available on the Cydia app store. After successfully jailbreaking your iPhone with JailbreakMe 3.0 simply follow these steps to close the security hole and read PDF files without worry.

1. Open Cydia and navigate to the Search tab.
2. Type pdf in the search field and results will appear.
3. Select PDF Patcher 2. The app screen will appear. You can scroll down for more information.

According to a report by TechnoBuffalo Apple and Verizon were very careful to make sure that the iPhone 4 launch stayed under wraps until the announcement. A source close to the process claims the device was codenamed Acme and employees were privy to information only on a need-to-know basis. Some were testing Verizon connectivity at Apple stores up to six months in advance of the February release.

Some Verizon employees received iPhone 4 units two weeks prior to the official launch. This privilege required the signing of a four-page non-disclosure agreement (NDA) from Apple before they could get their hands on the device. The CDMA iPhone 4 itself had unique security features to ensure that a device wouldn't go missing as happened in 2010 with a prototype GSM iPhone 4.

You can increase your iPhone backup security by encrypting backup files written to your computer during an iTunes syncing operation. This means that should your computer be lost or stolen, the backup files from your iPhone will be password protected. Contacts, location data, calendars and other sensitive information from your iPhone is stored in each backup file.

To encrypt your iPhone backups:

1. Open the iTunes application on your computer.
2. Connect your device to the computer via USB.
3. Click on the icon of your iPhone in the left menu under DEVICES.

Screenshots acquired by 9to5 Mac reveal a gesture-based passcode lock screen already in use internally at Apple. The AppleConnect iOS application for employees makes use of the feature.

Much like a similar gesture-based passcode lock found on Android devices, the Apple version allows users to set a private code based on points that are connected by the user on the screen. The iOS version has a progress bar indicating the strength of an individual gesture entered for use as a passcode.

Restrictions, otherwise known as parental controls, can be set on an iPhone. Content above a certain rating can be blocked and apps such as the Camera can be switched off. The user of the iPhone can be prevented from changing restrictions if they don't know the Restrictions Passcode, a four-digit number entered when first enabling restrictions.

To enable restrictions follow these instructions:

1. Navigate to Settings -> General -> Restrictions.

2. Touch Enable Restrictions and you will be prompted for a four-digit passcode.