Sat 22 Nov 2008

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Edited by Paul Hales

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Apple can wipe your Iphone apps at will

Remote control back door shenanigans

IPHONE EXPERT Jonathan Zdziarski has discovered, whilst poking about in the handset's coded innards, that the nice folks at Apple have left a back door open which will allow them to wipe any nasty bits of software which don't meet the approval of the Cupertino Cabal.

Remote Wipe, the ability to remove data from a lost or stolen device, was a much-publicised feature of the new 2.0 firmware and was sold as being of benefit to business users.

But this less publicised 'feature' – which some commentators are saying enables the handset to phone home to an Apple web page containing an as-yet empty blacklist, and delete any unsuitable or unauthorised applications – won't find much favour.

So the fanboys and Macolytes will maintain that Apple has provided a way to remove malicious code which is discovered after it has been through the not-so-rigorous application vetting process.

And those in the I Hate Apple gang (Pres. N Farrell) will wring their hands and bleat about conspiracy theories and Big Brother manipulation. µ

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Comments

Hmmm

And just why does this surprise anyone.
posted by : Efros, 07 August 2008

Oooo

I'm in the "I hate apple camp"!

"BURN STEVE JOBS!!! HUUUAHHH!"

Nah only joking.... maybe just singe him alittle.....
posted by : Aids, 07 August 2008

yayyyy more, more, plz !!!!



rejoice again iphoneDROIDS, the lords of the DROIDMATRIX smile on us all again, more gruel plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, we love it, AMEN to that :O)
posted by : psychochief, 07 August 2008

Vapid socialites beware

Obviously, this will be used to wipe your $1000 "I am rich" bling...
posted by : Crinkle, 07 August 2008

misleading title (no surprise)

Other than discovering a URL embedded in the firmware, nothing else is publicly known about it. It is not known if the URL is actually resolved by the iPhone at any time, if it downloads the file at the URL, or what, if anything, it does with the contents of the file. It is irresponsible of you have a title like this, just to boost clicks, when at best all you really can properly have is "Apple might be able wipe your Iphone apps at will".
posted by : dave, 08 August 2008

If Apple product buyers...

...were capable of independent thought, they'd not buy Apple products in the first place. Since they have indisputably demonstrated a total lack of self-determination already, it is perfectly acceptable for Apple to be able to $@%# with their Iphony devices at will.

Persons who experience individuality and self-determination don't buy Apple products anyway, so no harm, no foul.
posted by : Motoman, 08 August 2008

Another gift to apple fans

Apple fans consider themselve smarter, more social, and more artistic than everyone else, so they should love this little gift of social engineering, in a brave new world were everything should be acceptable except an opposing viewpoint.

Downloads unblessed by Steve Almighty should be removed, just as anything involving sex should be encouraged. Your only freedoms are those of self-expression, and those in control will take responsibility for everything else.

Once again that is, unless you disagree. Then you must die for expressing yourself. Read some left-wing rant site to find out why.
posted by : Crashman, 08 August 2008

Lunch is served...

and again it is a bowl of snot that tastes like chicken.
posted by : Ulrich, 08 August 2008

It's my iphone!

How come we have to be so strickly controlled by these apple folk, it's not just them either, its all kinds of things now.

posted by : Alistair, 08 August 2008

What...

So what happens to all my P0rn? Can I sue some self rightous Apple employee zealot for not liking my movies and deleting tem?

I'm over 18, have a mind and not a redneck...

I have a life...
posted by : Steve, 08 August 2008

Way to get rid of all iPhones

Surely it would be fairly trivial to hack the site at the URL, include kernel.bin (or whatever low level binary) on the list and watch all iPhones delete themselves.
posted by : iPhoneThinker, 08 August 2008

Not sure they can do that...

I am not sure they can do that - If I paid for an application, then I own it - they have no right to delete it. They do have the right to modify the iPhone software which COULD cause the application I bought to stop working, however I think it might be against the law for them to delete a lawfully purchased application. That would be stealing!
posted by : Macmuchmore, 08 August 2008

fabulous hacking target.

Seems to me that would be about the most interesting thing for hacker to get to play with, just update this list and apps disapear off all phones. Who's got the balls though?
posted by : Matthew, 08 August 2008

Your Master, Who Is Your True Love, Is Always Around

If true [pretty plz], this shows that Apple cares for its minions. What comfort it is to feel that your master is always hovering over you, catering to your little whims and fancies, protecting you lest some beast tries to violate you. Dahlings, the covert violation by your master is actually an overt act of love for how can a master tends to his flock without some form of expression …. like, “You are not good enough until I deemed that your fruity possessions are up-to-date. Now, open wide … widerrrr … ”. Cruelty is when love is mistaken for hypnotism. “Yes, master …”
posted by : The Fruiterer, 08 August 2008

Inaccurate

This blacklist is part of the Core Location framework, and can only be used to prevent certain applications from accessing the location based features if found to be abusing them. It can't be used to remove installed applications from the phone.
posted by : James, 09 August 2008

Not just Apple.....

5 words:
Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool :)
posted by : Muhahahahahaha!, 12 August 2008
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