Simply connect an iPhone to a computer with Ubuntu 10.04 and you will be able to access to all the personal data it contains. This is what we can call a security hole -or even a chasm!
According to Bernd Marienfeldt, who works at LINX Internet exchange node (London Internet Exchange) in London, just plug an iPhone 1G or 3G on a PC using the Ubuntu operating system 10.04 and you can access to the personal files on the iPhone without any special effort. This new feature in Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) provides access to photos, voice memo, to music and podcasts. The objective is to make easier the manipulation of the iPhone and the iPod Touch with the possibility to drop off music with Rhythmbox, retrieve photos with F-Spot, etc.
But what Ubuntu developers describe as new functionality can be considered as a security hole. Theoretically, data from the iPhone should only be accessible through the Apple iTunes software. But data from iPhone 1G and 3G are not encrypted and some file system directories are simply not protected. A person stealing an iPhone -even with the four numbers lock code- simply connects the device on Ubuntu to access these directories. This feature is not limited to Jail Break iPhones. It affects even the iPhone that have not been modified.
Obviously this will not Apple which make efforts to win business as clients. After being told by Bernd Mariendfeldt about this flaw, Apple still have not brought any patch. And Steve Jobs company's has not indicated when it would provide a solution.
With such a blunder, BlackBerries and other professionals smartphones still have a bright future ahead of them. Unless the executives would not take their data security seriously...
Sources
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