iPhone users

[JasonInAugusta]

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/...est=latestnews

How does the modern criminal plan out a caper? Not on a cellphone -- if he's smart, that is.

Smartphones can take pictures tagged to a particular location and time, provide turn-by-turn directions, find the closest gas station or the best nearby Italian restaurant, and communicate via voice, texting, e-mail and even videoconferencing.

They can also store all that information, yielding everything the cops need to capture a bad guy.

The iPhone is particularly popular with cops, because it's so popular with consumers.

Forensics experts say that when an iPhone or other smartphone is involved in an investigation, it can provide an extensive set of digital fingerprints -- and digital footprints -- telling law enforcement where you've been, when you were there, and whom you've been communicating with.

"There's plenty of information an iPhone hangs onto," Jonathan Zdziarski, author of iPhone Forensics, told FoxNews.com. "For example, the iPhone takes a screen shot every time you hit the home button, including shots of your e-mail with the time stamped on it."

Such information can be critical in a criminal investigation.

"When someone tells me they have an iPhone in a case, I say, 'Yeah!' I can do tons with an iPhone," Detective Josh Fazio told the Chicago Sun-Times.

It's not difficult to understand law enforcement's enthusiasm for the iPhone. Equipped with GPS, a camera, and a Web browser, it can provide a wealth of data to police trying to track a criminal's movements and actions:

* Mapping software will store locations you've searched or directions you've received.

* The auto correcting typing feature of iPhones actually stores words you've typed, which could potentially be accessed months after a message was sent and deleted.

* Photos taken with the phone can contain information about where, when and with which device the image was captured.

* Web browser information is also often stored, such as reservations the owner has made or sites they have visited.

The iPhone is obviously a major focus in terms of forensic work, given its popularity, but similar vulnerabilities exist with the growing number of Android-based phones on the market, such as the Motorola Droid X, according to Andrew Hoog, chief investigative officer, at viaForensics.

"Many [Android] apps are being rushed to market, and they can have substantial holes," Hoog told FoxNews.com.

Furthermore, some passwords end up being stored as plain text on phones, including corporate e-mail and eBay passwords.

"It's practically impossible for an end user to completely wipe a phone clean," says Hoog.

So if you're not planning to commit a crime, should you worry? Maybe.

Smart phones are rapidly replacing desktop computers as the repository for a wealth of personal information, including banking passwords, personal contact information, text messages, and social-networking pages. Give someone access to your phone and you're giving them access to your life.

Many people are banking on their iPhones, for example. Watch out. Citigroup recently revealed that its mobile-banking application for the iPhone was secretly storing personal information, possibly including account numbers, access codes, and balance information.

"We discovered that our U.S. Citi Mobile iPhone banking app was accidentally saving information related to customer accounts in a hidden file on their iPhones," Citi said in a prepared statement. The company then issued an updated version of the software to correct the problem, but the vulnerability shows that even a bank -- which focuses intently on security -- can leave smartphone users vulnerable.

Do you carefully delete all of that personal data to play it safe? No matter, it still may be accessible to thieves or law enforcement.

"If you delete a file, the message remains on the phone" until the software overwrites it with another piece of data, explained Zdziarski. And that may be a long time. Zdziarski cited cases he's worked on with law enforcement where he recovered messages that had been deleted months before.

Remember, as well, that former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick landed in hot water and eventually jail two years ago because he didn't realize personal text messages were being stored on his SkyTel device. Indeed, even if you're using another carrier or service, your deleted text message may be stored elsewhere.

Typically, AT&T and Verizon keep cellphone text messages for only about 3 days. After that they are deleted from the carriers' computers. However, many companies store text messages longer to meet legal and fiduciary responsibilities. So if you're using a company phone, all your messages may be stored on the company computers.

Zdziarski concedes that iPhones aren't particularly better or worse than other smart phones on the market in terms of the information they store. However, he does have some advice for consumers.

"People need to be aware that that racy picture you took is still going to be on there even after you delete it," he warned. "So figure out what information is valuable to you, and don't put that on your phone."

[JeremyH]

Soon Steve Jobs will own every one of you...


I'll stick with me free phone.

[binaryterror]

Just so owners know...it only takes those pictures when you do it. Not at random or pre-planned intrevals.

The detective is just mentioning dumb users really help their cases.

[JasonInAugusta]

Originally Posted by binaryterror

Just so owners know...it only takes those pictures when you do it. Not at random or pre-planned intrevals.

Yes, it takes a screen shot EVERY TIME you press the home button.

[Ruthless]

Originally Posted by JasonInAugusta

Yes, it takes a screen shot EVERY TIME you press the home button.

Where does this screen shot go? ....It is a normal function of the phone to take a screen shot when the home button and sleep button are pushed at the same time and saves the shot to your camera roll.

[Highmark]

Originally Posted by JasonInAugusta

Yes, it takes a screen shot EVERY TIME you press the home button.

Which is cached and used as an animation. But frankly, if you're doing anything sensitive enough to warrant being truly concerned about someone breaking into your phone than you're either looking at something (or someone) you probably shouldn't be, or you have no business doing it on a mobile device (or really online at all) in the first place. This is the same reason you don't just throw away an old computer or hard drive.

* Mapping software will store locations you've searched or directions you've received.

Same as a GPS, Google maps, your home MAC/PC ect ...

* The auto correcting typing feature of iPhones actually stores words you've typed, which could potentially be accessed months after a message was sent and deleted.

Yeah it stores words you type ... words, not sentences, paragraphs ect. Additionally most phones store text messages, until you delete them or run out of space.

* Photos taken with the phone can contain information about where, when and with which device the image was captured.

Really now? That sounds like a major security problem. Cannon, Nikon, Olympus and every other digital camera maker should probably get on that.

* Web browser information is also often stored, such as reservations the owner has made or sites they have visited.

That sounds truly terrifying ... I can't think of a single electronic device today that would be so audacious.

[Mr.Slave]

Just so you guys know I'm posting this from my totally awesome iPhone

[JasonInAugusta]

Got a logical answer on PBB

It takes a quick screenshot of whatever you're looking at in an app so that when you return to that app, it can display that screenshot while the app loads instead of a splash screen. If you just need a quick glance at something, it works really nice.

[JeremyH]

Originally Posted by JasonInAugusta

Got a logical answer on PBB

Or a more logical answer:

Steve Jobs is watching and recording what everyone is doing. Soon, he plans to rule the universe.

[binaryterror]

Originally Posted by JasonInAugusta

Got a logical answer on PBB

More about the issue: http://www.machoe.com/317/iphone-tak...ton-press.html

They say that the cached images disappear after a few seconds

If you have access to strong recovery software you could find those, however nothing a street kid or everyday user even knows how to use. Can FBI,DEA access these...yes.

Worried about getting caught doing crimes JIA? My advice would be to not do crime...

[JasonInAugusta]

Originally Posted by binaryterror

Worried about getting caught doing crimes JIA? My advice would be to not do crime...

While I'm sure that's solid advice, I don't know, man. A life of crime has worked well for me. That art heist a few years back really paid off. Sure, it's not for everyone, but hey - the risk is worth the reward.

Just not sure the iphone is suited for me after reading this. I mean how else can I stay in contact with my cohorts? All of them bastards have iphones. My concern is if they get caught I'm at risk.

I'm not concerned about doing the crime. My concern is my phone putting me at risk after the fact.

























































[/sarcasm]

Anyway, after reading that article my question was WHY would Apple have the software take a screenshot every time you press the home button. Highmark comes in and tells me what I should and shouldn't be looking at (I just wish he'd warned me about throwing out hard drives sooner ) and you act like because I wanted to know why the software functions the way it does that I'm up to something nefarious.

[TexasSP]

How dare you question Lord Jobs Jason? The macophiles do not allow such questioning of the supreme leader, it could start an uprising.

[dezfan]

Originally Posted by JasonInAugusta

Anyway, after reading that article my question was WHY would Apple have the software take a screenshot every time you press the home button. Highmark comes in and tells me what I should and shouldn't be looking at (I just wish he'd warned me about throwing out hard drives sooner ) and you act like because I wanted to know why the software functions the way it does that I'm up to something nefarious.

Fawking know it all college kids.

[Highmark]

Originally Posted by JasonInAugusta

Anyway, after reading that article my question was WHY would Apple have the software take a screenshot every time you press the home button.

Originally Posted by Highmark

Which is cached and used as an animation.

Actually I misspoke; the image is used for the start up and shut down graphics sequences when you run applications.

[Highmark]

Originally Posted by dezfan

Fawking know it all college kids.

Not all ... or much of anything really. Just more than you.

[dezfan]

Originally Posted by Highmark

Not all ... or much of anything really. Just more than you.

I remember when I was young and knew everything.......

[slowngreen]

Originally Posted by dezfan

I remember when I was young and knew everything.......

BS, theres no way you remember that far back Dez.

[666]

I have forgotten more than you'll ever know.l....

[microgoat]

There wasn't all that much to know back then. Fire hot, spear kill mammoth, no make ugh-ugh with big chief's woman.