Security

Apple has released version 3.0.1 of the iPhone OS software. This fixes the recently revealed SMS security flaw. The security hole was illustrated on Thursday by Charlie Miller at the Black Hat 2009 conference in Las Vegas.

iPhone owners can download and install the 3.0.1 update using iTunes immediately. Left unpatched, the problem makes it possible for iPhones to receive malicious binary programs through SMS messages without the user's knowledge.

A massive iPhone security flaw was illustrated on Thursday by Charlie Miller and Collin Mulliner at the Black Hat 2009 conference in Las Vegas. Word of the demonstration had been brewing for days, however Apple has remained silent on the issue.

The problem makes it possible for iPhones to receive binary programs through SMS messages without the user's knowledge. These programs can then give someone using the exploit complete control over the device.

If you thought your iPhone 3GS was more secure than the original iPhone or the iPhone 3G, think again. iPhone developer and hacker extraordinaire Jonathan Zdziarski says the encryption Apple has implemented on the iPhone 3GS is next to worthless.

With many businesses, higher education institutions, and government agencies starting to use the iPhone, Zdziarski cites poor encryption as cause for concern. In a demonstration to Wired, he pulled live sensitive data from an iPhone 3GS using readily available free software in only two minutes.

iPhone OS 3.1 beta versions have already been seeded to developers, meaning an update for the general public is imminent. Apple released iPhone OS version 2.1 only a month after 2.0 was made available last year.

The iPhone 3GS hit store shelves on June 19th running iPhone OS 3.0, and reports have indicated that millions of iPhone 3G and original iPhone owners have already upgraded their operating system. The new version includes 46 security fixes and new features such as copy and paste. So will it be worth upgrading again so soon?