Apple acknowledges iPhone passcode flaw, promises fix next month
By Chris Ziegler 
posted Aug 28th 2008 5:04PM
posted Aug 28th 2008 5:04PM
Apple's taking a pretty lackadaisical attitude toward one of the most easily avoided security flaws in recent memory, calling the iPhone's passcode lock bypass a "minor iPhone security issue" and saying that a fix will be rolled out in September. Thanks, Apple; we suppose it'd be a little too much trouble to ask for a fix sooner, even though you already fixed it once in 1.1.4. For what it's worth, a company spokeswoman is quick to point out that the flaw can easily be hidden by changing the home button double-click functionality to take you to the home screen, but most users don't know that, now do they? Way to show some hustle, guys -- cookies and gold stars all around.
I think its pretty funny...as this has been out for a few days now and until Apple acknowledges it...it wasn't posted. I guess we have to wait for a positive spin first.
It was posted. Look harder.
Anybody realised since the new editor took over the engadget writers have started fighting back.
ryan always did...
@Chris Ziegler
Don't get me wrong, I love the iPhone and Apple but this should be on the Engadget Mobile Website only.
yeah, but the new editor doesn't reply himself when asked a direct question that he doesn't like (come on Josh, give us another glib answer).
Veronica used to hang out here... :(
There's no positive spin in this article. They bring up Apple's failure to address the problem in a satisfactory manor, while bringing up all the important counter-points.
The problem was originally posted in Engadget Mobile; many readers complained, accusing Engadget of having a positive bias towards Apple, and thusly, purposely not reporting on their main page about an iPhone problem, whereas other Apple related news still received coverage.
Engadget responded appropriately, by waiting for the next update to the story to occur, and covering it on their main page, since it seemed there was ample demand for the information.
They didn't over-cover this story and pander to either side of user responses by either completely ignoring it, or double posting the original article as well as publishing this update.
Also, Engadget writers have always randomly responded. Ryan started to do it more-so later on. The reason why it's increasing? More and more readers are directly confronting Engadget, and specifically attacking writers. Rather than giving criticism, people are just calling the writers incompetent or biased, and feeding on hate, for Apple, Microsoft, or just this website in general.
RELAX. Don’t do it. When you want to to go to it. Relax. Don’t do it. When you want to calm the f*** down.
veronica hung out here? like once to defend ryan from a mob.
dear Steve Jobs,
take your sweet sweet time and make a great firmware upgrade not a half-a$$ mockery of one.
p.s. a little charity wouldn't either- ie Bill Gates.
Yes, this is a security issue, however it was certainly being sensationalized by different websites:
1) It is easy to fix yourself until a firmware update is released
2) Important data should *never* be hidden behind a simple screen lock PIN code. If you want decent security, you must use a proper encryption method on the data itself.
3) Unlike other critical security vulnerabilities, this one actually requires an attacker to have physical possession of the device, which in most cases you are already screwed anyways.
Tell this to apple's marketing department.
"Actually no, I don't get viruses or security threats ever because I'm a mac. How envious are you?"
@Kiwi616...
Why, oh WHY do you have to preface with "don't get me wrong, I love XXXXXX"? Are you afraid of the Interwebitube users calling you and Anti-applite?
And that goes for the rest of the "don't get me wrong, I love XXXXXXX" crowd! Don't be such cowards!
Thanks!
Can't wait to here the apologists on this one.
Yeah, hopefully they'll be able to spell/use grammer better than you can.
@ (01) -
grammar?
"Well at least their fixing it! GAWD!"
your being to hard on them. they're grammar is par for the coarse.
Stop it, just stop it! All of u r speling stuf rong!
all ur grammar nazis are belong to us
How's this:
It's a feature, not a bug. Seriously. Who the hell wants to have to type in a passcode to unlock a *phone*? I hate it, and vowed that I wouldn't use my phone with ActiveSync if I had to do it. Well, as it turns out, I do, but the least-restrictive setting is every hour, and you can choose your own passcode. On my Motorola Q I had to use my corp exchange password (8 characters, alpha, etc etc) every 15 minutes. To use a telephone. Worthless.
I'm 99% sure this is configured on the Exchange side, and is probably implemented by my company in order to comply with SOX, which in itself is worthless as well.
I'll have to RTFA so I can take advantage of this... if indeed it does what it sounds like.
I have that phone!!!!!!!!!
nope i took it from you. here, you can have my old nokia. more durable anyway.
Good for you...
I figure if we have one Android troll for every Apple/ iPhone troll, we might just even out the conversations by nullifying them.
If I may be so bold to make the comparison, I would liken Android to an open source version of the iPhone OS. This in no way means that they have copied Apple any more than OpenOffice.org copied Microsoft Office. I've never heard anyone complaining about them.
Seriously, get over yourselves, iPhone trolls.
No way!!! Get out of here!!!
Which one BTW? The slightly leaning one or the full faced one?
I have the better looking one
"I have the better looking one"
is that what girls tell you when they turn you down?
I guess I can expect a 2.0.3 update next month. Why can't we get 2.1 already?! I want copy & paste! >:-(
Bluetooth A2DP and native video recording would also be nice.
Maybe they can also get around to fixing the GPS functionality that they broke with the latest firmware.
"Your location +/- 200 miles"
"The bug also affects the iPod Touch. "
uhhh... how? ipod touch doesn't have an "emergency call" mode, and the double tap of the home button brings you to music control shortcut box. Not to mention i've never noticed a locking feature on the touch, even though i have to admit i've never looked.
YEH ,
Now you can also fess up to the countless other flaws on my IPHONE 3G.
uhhum!!
- Weak 3 G signal
- Failed calls when dialing out
- Dropped calls like crazy
- 4 Second delay on using phone book
- Slow Lagggy keyboard
And for Christ Sakes GIVE US THE OPTION TO TURN OFF THAT STUPID PREDICTIVE TEXTING !!!!!
I have had no problems after 2.0.2
You are just repeating problems in your list.
Don't get me wrong, I know there are some people with problems, but the vast majority if users are enjoying there iphones.
The problem with 3G and call drop out is more to do with the cell network, at&t for us. Only the sluggishness of the software is what Apple can fix.
I, for one, find it impossible to live without that predictive texting.
NO. I tried to live with predicting texting (auto correct) for two months to give it a real try, but it's much better off. I can't believe theres no option to turn it off!
Need to jailbrake and install auto correct toggler...
And the 4 second contact list delay is here too with latest firmware. Very annoying, i have to tell people to wait for my iPhone to open some text list.
Sms typing delay is fixed though.
Way to play down the security flaw by stating that the security would probably be bypassed anyway so this isn't such a BIG deal. Now had this been a WinMo device issue, I'm sure there would had been plenty more MS bashing.
if they didn't include the other side to the story, it wouldn't be a factual, news worthy post. instead it would be a opinionated rant about how apple should get this bug fix out faster. If you want to read a news site, this is the kind of storys your going to get. If you want a ( insert product your obsessing over/hating on here) site than go find one , its really not that time consuming.So take a long, deep breath and decide which one of those sites you would rather be on right now.
but it would probably be fixed in a week not a month or two or whenever they get round to it
Enterprise-Ready, you say?
the dragon makes it funnier
Leindurs"tit" makes it funnierer.
I have the 16GB White 3G and although I like the web and email experience, the rest of it is an abismal failure. Vista, which I use daily without issue was crucified when brought to market. I think its Apple's turn to receive a few nails-in-the-palms for botching this entire thing.
Anyone who says this isn't a debacle of a product release is delusional.
I'm not a fanboy of anything, Apple nor Microsoft, but Apple has joined the ranks of most soft and hard-ware companies who push out products and services way before they are market ready in the name of profit and planned obsolescence.
And on a final note... I find it hilarious that Apple is still pumping out those bullshit 'I'm a mac, I'm a pc' ads. Fool's Gold.
For some odd reason, I vaguely remember a company losing money hand-over-fist and another company bailing them out. If you didn't know which two companies they were... in the commercial mac should be a bum, and pc should be shown helping the real moron out of his ditch. you are absolutely correct. apple was losing money and life fast and microsoft paid to keep them alive
oh come "clak" this post isnt even about macs. ok, i'm betting that's a fake clak; it says he's only left 46 comments, and we've all seen single posts where he's had practically that many.
so; real fanboy or bored hater stirring up shit? either way i just fed the troll and must now self-flagellate.
Correction: It wasn't about Macs until melo brought up the Mac vs. PC ads. Those ads have nothing to do with the iPhone. As far as the iPhone being an abysmal failure (yes, it's spelled "abysmal"), the sales numbers would beg to differ. I mean you're talking about "the rest of it" - does that include the iPod part? The apps? Notes? Calendar? Google maps? Youtube? The phone? I mean all those things work fine for me, so I can't really agree that the entire thing is botched. You sound hyper-reactive and you're exaggerating, just like a fanboy or an Apple hater.
Zak? Saying that someone ELSE is hyper reactive and defensive? Wow. Take a good look at some of your previous posts. You start by asking rhetorical questions. Then you berate the commenter on his choice of words. Then you insult them.
Then there's the "sales numbers don't lie" crap. Let's take that and apply it elsewhere in history. Beware: I'm about to fulfill Godwin's Law.
When Hitler came to power in Germany, he advocated many different social and economic changes that the people of Germany wanted. People were mesmerized at how well-spoken and confident he was. People liked, nay, loved him. That doesn't mean that he didn't commit horrible crimes against humanity.
Go away. The worst part about people like you and clak is that there is no way to appease you. If we disagree, you just keep coming back. Say it once and stay away.
@Zak
"As far as the iPhone being an abysmal failure (yes, it's spelled "abysmal"), the sales numbers would beg to differ."
By that logic I am sure you agree that Vista is a resounding success and OSX is a relative failure
Mike: Godwin's Law? Really? That's just sad, and also completely irrelevant. As far as the sales numbers, let's see if you can follow along: There have been almost 10 million iPhones sold now, which indicates some level of popularity. They continue to sell at a very high rate, yet melo used these terms to describe it: "Abysmal failure", "debacle of a product" - and you don't see the conflict between what melo said and reality?
Yoou gonna tell me you don't think melo is exaggerating either? And of course you can appease me. The instant you stop saying stupid unsubstantiated shit, I am appeased. It's actually pretty easy. Well, easy for normal people maybe. Apple haters are a "special" breed.
Simon: Why, because an OS and a phone are the same thing? The iPhone sales numbers indicate success relative to the market in which it resides. Was that not clear enough originally? Should I continue to spell everything out for you word for word to make sure you get it? Honestly, were you just too stupid to figure that out on your own or something?
@Nightmare
You sir are a prat. Microsoft cleared close to a Billion dollars on that deal AND also got the monopoly commission off their backs.
For the actual story Microsoft invested 150 Million in shares in Apple when Steve Jobs returned. Apple launched the iMac and gradually clawed their way back, with a rising share price. After two stock splits Microsoft sold off their investment to the tune of something approaching 800 million...
Not someone helping someone out of ditch but a fucking shrewd business decision. Say what you want about Microsoft but they now what to do with their cash.
Did you not read anything after the words "Godwin's Law"? I specifically told you that popular opinion goes with what looks good at the time, not what really has quality.
Plus, you can't even compare the sales of the iPhone to any other smart phone out there. Apple started out by marketing it like any other thing they sell, catchy commercials and self-reference. Remember "It's our best iPod yet, and did we mention, it's also a cell phone"? When they said, "best ipod yet," the masses say, "oooooh I gotta have it!". The most televised commercial that I've seen for another smart phone was the Samsung Instinct, and that was buried within a Sprint commercial. What this proves is that people really DO have a shorter attention span than you think. The iPhone ads never took the camera away from the iPhone, whereas the Sprint commercials tried to have a "plot."
You know how you can make all of the "stupid unsubstantiated shit" go away? By not looking at the comments! Every time you see an iPhone post, or anything related to Apple or OSX, don't read the comments!
You still are extremely predictable. I love how you skipped that part of my comment.
You need to read the entire post, think about the words, then spout out irrelevant banality. See? No curse words. You must have an anger management problem in real life if you can't rationally talk about what you are feeling.
@Mike10010100
I'm holding you responsible for closing this thread.
Zak,
6 people in my office have iphones and the constantly complain about them!
"the battery life sucks"
"I wish i could just use an mp3 for a ringtone"
"I keep missing calls because the screen doesn't activate when the phone rings"
"texting is slow"
"the camera is bad"
"I can't send files with bluetooth"
I'm typing this on a MacBook Pro so I'm not anti apple, however even though I like the idea of the iphone because it can do a lot of things my phone can't, I still wouldn't be prepared to buy one because of all the faults/compromises I would have to put up with.
In the one week that I've owned an iPhone, I've done more firmware updates that I did with my Motorola Q for 2 years. (out of box it needed 2.0.1 and then 2.0.2 was released). I don't remember any of my other phones, aside from my Danger Hiptop ever getting a firmware upgrade. The Danger upgrade was fairly significant and delivered over the air. COOL!
There are bugs with iPhone, but there are bugs with everything. I own an N800 and it's a fun, if buggy, device.
I didn't think I'd get into the iPhone, but I am really enjoying it, especially after jailbreaking it. The touch screen was easy to get used to. Even though I probably hit the wrong "key" 20-30% of the time (I used to use this to criticize the iPhone), it almost always corrects the spelling for me. Another criticism I had was that you couldn't add to the spelling dictionary. If you override the autocorrect once, it seems to learn the word for good. Cut and paste? Needs it, but ironically the Motorola Q didn't have cut and paste either. Neither did the Danger Hiptop.
All in all, it's a great device. Even when I use it on EDGE, it seems faster than my Moto Q on EVDO. Might be because the phone was the bottleneck.
To be a better device, the iPhone needs:
1) to be jailbroken so you can install anything you want
2) to be able to download podcasts over the air
3) better radio management. If you are not actively using the phone, it should downgrade to EDGE to save battery.
4) FLASH! The N800 and N810 prove that flash can work well on a tablet.
5) support for bluetooth headphones. when using it to listen to music on my treadmill, the last thing I want to do is yank the phone across the room when my arm hits the cable
6) cut and paste
7) support for bluetooth keyboards.
I just want to know why I have to completely reinstall a new iTunes everytime Apple does a minor firmware update or releases a new product? Shouldn't this just be a new plug in or something? I don't own a iPhone or any other product from Apple... why am I constantly upgrading iTunes for products I don't own?
I wouldn't buy that piece of ____
First gen was alright, but this is just plain sad..
"but most users don't know that, now do they?"
and even less people that find/steal iPhones will know this.
Plus, most of my friends that have iPhones (or cell phones in general) don't ever bother locking them.
I think this is pretty minor.
Chris:
Most of those things you listed are caused by the network NOT the iPhone. Infact, everything except the laggy keyboard is caused by a crappy network.
speaking of which,
Thanks AT&T, for having a totally unusable network at the Outside Lands Festival in San Francisco last week. I realize there were lots of people there but you suck anyway.
Seems like apple is loosing steam in the customer service department.
I would rather them fix the problem that I have with the pass code: Every time I try to retrieve voicemail it asks me for my passcode. The problem is, I never entered one. This means I cannot get my voicemail. It does not ask me for a pass code to get into the device, just to get to voicemail. After calling Apple support, they told me to contact AT&T. AT&T told me to go back to Apple. Apple told me to either completely wipe the device and start over, or go back to AT&T and tell them Apple said it was their fault.
You're supposed to enter your last 4 digits of your phone number.
I don't know why no one has told you this, it's common knowledge.
This sort of shoots down the concept of "It Just Works" - because it doesn't.
It does work....if your intent is to bypass that security feature
That's getting pretty old and tired. How does this problem prevent the iPhone from working?
is there ANYTHING about this phone that "just works"?
Er - all of it? It does for me, anyway. Yes this is a problem, but it doesn't prevent the phone from working, does it? It's also very easily avoidable by changing what the home button does.
what about mobileme? that working out too?
Uh... yes? Have you been living under a rock or something? It works fine now.
I have to agree with Zak. (gasp) the thing has its sucky moments, but I've never been closer to my phone or PDA, and never this satisfied. today 3G was enabled in my area. have had ZERO issues. this is unrelated to the security flaw, but the thing "just works". including mobileme btw :-D
yea when you jailbreak it.....
Does anybody actually use the password lock?! Stop making drama over something like this. If somebody picks up an iPhone with the lock on, and knows how to bypass this, then too bad! You shouldn't be keeping that kind of information public like that with any device that CAN be looked into.
like corporate email, par example?
Actually, that's "Pour exemple" (for example) ;)
- Cheers from the Great North
This detail by detail every little microgram type coverage of Iphone bugs is completely gone overboard!!!! Have any of you people every bought another brand phone (maybe for more money than Iphone): Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, etc and ever had any S/W bugs or annoyances or bad reception, etc, etc. If ever, do any of those manufacturers roll out updates in S/W to add features and erase bugs (Very few a far between I would say). So why do people give Iphone such a hard time? Why don't you go back to a RAZR or BB Curve, or Samsung then and keep quiet. I mean feedback to Apple is good, but this complaining, etc is just stupid!
Out of th elast 4 phones I bought (2 moto and more recently 2 unlocked-unbranded SE's) I have had 0 problems that were not my own stupidity (I can't blame the manufacturer for water damage that I caused). Did I mention that I can easily exchange SIM's on those phones for when I travel overseas?
Simon: Can I take that to mean you are not aware that you can pop the iPhone sim out and put a different one in?
a phone has to be unlocked to use other carriers' SIMs right?
What kinda logic is that, when you pay for something you expect all parts of it to work. Would you buy a car and only expect the tires to be full of air but the engine not to run. Also almost any device can be looked into, thats why you secure it so that you can look in to it after putting stuff there an only you. Major fail man, also major fail on apples part as much money as people have sheeled out for the iphone me included.
I couldn't agree more, why buy something and just because a few morons dont mind their $500 plus phones(without subsidation, of course) stolen, should we who actually care about the things we have, just forget about it just because it isn't exactly norm? dude needs a life, and for his s**t to be stolen and face the fact of buying an unsubsidized phone. so hear,hear!
thats was at Garrett, sorry guys
Wow! This is F-d. I just did this little double tap maneuver and EASILY got into my email and was able to read and send. I am very scared and immediately smashed my iPhone into bits. Too dangerous. What if someone knows I ordered Mini Golf on the Wii. I'd never hear the end of it.
Right, because smashing it to bits is easier than changing the home button double tap?
While you're at it Zak, check your sarcasm meter. It seems to be acting up.
With the sheer number of Apple-hating trolls on this board, sometimes it's hard to tell.
iPhone 2.0? What a humongous clusterfuck.
hmmm, so apps aren't cool or useful, the new GPS stuff isn't great. Yeah sounds like a clusterf**k to me.
dont get me started on att, most bars my ass. They forget to add most bars here excpet for here, here, here, and there
How about Apple fixes the iTunes firmware updating process, everytime i've gone to update my iphone's software through iTunes its given me the 1605 (or whatever) error and i've had to Recover my whole iphone again THEN recover to my backup it just made THEN put all my music/video and ringtones back on... RIDICULOUS, iPhones are shithouse man.. Doesn't make me want to upgrade the firmware at all.
I have the same EXACT problem, and its really annoying.
ugh same thing when you buy some seasons of tv shows. every episode downloads except for the season finale which proceeds to tell me the file is corrupted and to hit check for purchases to redownload it. i do that and it tells me the same message again. any solutions?
Well, I haven't seen a whole lot of "iPhone trolls" here. A few Apple haters, yes, but no trolls on the iPhone side.
You Microscrewed people will never be happy until Apple goes out of business, will you? The big problem with Windoze users is that they're still too weak-minded to be freed from the Matrix, and so have to be left under the power of the big M. So sorry.
It's "Microsoft" and "Windows"... wouldn't want you to look like an ass.
As an Apple Fanboy, I must say that I do not endorse this message.
In fact, I lol'd. I lol'd hard.
what, and no updates on the LG Dare software updates? There's a few bugs that LG still hasn't worked out.
Actually, had this happened to a windows mobile device who would have cared? The expectation of Windows devices is low from the start, so when there are issues no one is surprised.
http://www.learnucd.com/kevlar/why-is-the-iphone-popular
If Apple wants to keep its loyal customers, they better start fixing problems when they arise. But I mean, sure its ok if someone gets a hold of your phone and gets drained in juicy information without. Sure Apple, I wanna wait another month for a fix, good practice guys :D