data privacy - page 2

Hackers and cops hate Apple’s iOS 11.4.1 update

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iPhone hacking is more difficulty with iOS 11.4.1
iPhone hacking is more difficulty if a new "USB Accessories" setting in iOS 11.4.1 is left off.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

The iOS version debuting today partially deactivates the Lightning port after an iPhone hasn’t been used for an hour. This makes iPhone hacking more difficult, for both criminals and law enforcement.

Previously, this feature was available in iOS betas. iOS 11.4.1 is the first time it’s been in a public version.

Hacker hacks iPhone hacking company’s secret hacks

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iphone
They say turnabout is fair play, but iPhone users are caught in the middle when iOS hacking tools are stolen.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Israel’s NSO Group makes a business of hacking iPhones and Android devices.  In a reversal of roles, it was hacked by one of its own employees and valuable intellectual property was stolen.

While its tempting to lean back an enjoy this company’s discomfiture, the stolen property was NSO’s phone hacking tools, which were then offered on the dark web.

Scientists answer the question, are iPhone apps spying on us?

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James Bond
James Bond is a spy, but what about your iPhone? People want to know.
Photo: Eon Pictures

Ever been discussing some product to your friends and then had an ad for it appear on your iPhone the next day? It’s happened enough that people want to know “Is my phone listening to me all the time?”

A group of computer scientists decided to test this phobia, which they dubbed panoptispy: the fear that everyone is being spied on.

Google admits third-party developers can read your emails

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Google-Chrome
Real human developers can read your Gmail messages. But only if you let them.
Photo: Google

Privacy is a hot-button issue in 2018, and the latest target is Google after it was revealed that developers of third-party apps can read your Gmail messages. 

The thing is, you gave the application permission to do that. You just don’t remember. Or weren’t paying attention.

Tim Cook says Apple will never keep quiet about social issues

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Tim Cook opening remarks WWDC 2017
CEO Tim Cook apparently laid out Apple's three policy priorities.
Photo: Apple

Whenever Apple CEO Tim Cook weighs in on a social issue, like his recent disparaging comments about U.S. immigration policy, there are always voices urging him to be quiet and concentrate on making great products.

Speaking at a forum in San Francisco this evening, Cook said that changing the world is in his job description.

Apple, other tech titans cross swords on consumer privacy

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Apple takes privacy seriously
Apple takes consumer privacy seriously, but Google and Facebook don't. Can an industry trade group that includes all three company reach any kind of consensus?
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Information Technology Industry Council will meet on Wednesday. This trade group, made up of Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and others, will discuss consumer privacy.

The proceedings are likely to be contentious, as these companies have very different views on the subject.

Supreme Court rules police need a search warrant to track your iPhone

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Tower
Your wireless service provider always knows where your iPhone is, but police can no longer access that data without a search warrant.

The U.S. Supreme Court just handed down a victory for privacy advocates: police can no longer access mobile phone tracking data without a warrant.  

Wireless providers know which of its cell towers each of their customers is connected to, giving it a basic idea of where all of them are. Law enforcement agencies used to be able to obtain this data without permission from a judge.

iOS 12 makes iPhones immune to ‘brute force’ unlocking

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GrayKey can bypass iPhone security
Unlocking tools that quickly enter thousands of passcodes though the Lightning port can be blocked out with iOS 12.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

WWDC 2018 bug Cult of MacThe just-released beta of iOS 12 can be set to partially deactivate the Lightning port after an iPhone hasn’t been used for an hour. This is a clear attempt to make useless the unlocking tools employed by law enforcement.

Police across the country are purchasing a tool called GrayKey. When hooked to an iPhone’s Lightning  port, this swiftly enters thousands of passcodes until the correct one is reached. Deactivating the Lightning port would block its use.

Apple frequently forced to give customer iCloud data to police

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Police Car. Berlin, 2013
Apple strives to protect the privacy of its customers, but it's also required to comply with legal requests for information from law enforcement.
Photo: Stefan Draschan

A locked iPhone can’t be accessed without the passcode, and even Apple can’t unlock it. But Apple has to comply with government requests for iCloud information.

And there are a lot of them. The company received 3,358 requests to access personal data in the second-half of 2017, with about half of these coming from the United States.

U.K. iPhone users want $4.3B from Google for privacy violations

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Google
Millions in Britain wants $1000 each because they claim Google invaded their privacy
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

A group of 4.4 million Brits accuse Google of illegally collecting and selling their personal information. They want a court to award them  $1000 (£750) each in compensation.

The group, which calls itself Google You Owe Us, was in court today asking to be made a representative action, the British equivalent of a class action.

Google nearly scrubs ‘Don’t be evil’ from its code of conduct

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'Don't be evil' went from the first sentence of the Google code of conduct to the very last.
'Don't be evil' went from the first sentence of the Google code of conduct to the very last.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Google’s founders tried to define their corporate philosophy with a single phrase: “Don’t be evil.” Now that phrase has all but disappeared from the company’s official code of conduct.

But there are questions about whether Google could be anything but evil, given that its entire business model is violating the privacy of its users.

Here’s how Apple is fighting GrayKey iPhone unlocker

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GrayKey can bypass iPhone security
iPhone unlockers are blocked if a week goes by without the correct passcode being entered.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple hasn’t found the security holes that iPhone unlocking tools use, but iOS 11.3 took a step that makes these cracking devices less useful. Police now have a limited amount of time to circumvent the user’s passcode before it becomes impossible.

This is part of an ongoing struggle between Apple and law enforcement agencies. The iPhone maker wants to protect the privacy of users, while police want access to information stored on devices used in crimes.

James Comey isn’t a fan of iPhone encryption

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James Comey
In his new book, James Comey says that law enforcement should have a backdoor into locked iPhones.
Photo: FBI

James Comey is an controversial figure. His new book shows he’s strongly opposed to Donald Trump, but he may have also helped get Trump elected President. And the former FBI director is opposed to the encryption that protects the privacy of iPhone users.

Comey’ s book, A Higher Loyalty, says Apple’s decision to encrypt the contents of iOS devices by default “drove me crazy.”

Congress criticizes FBI quest for iPhone ‘backdoor’

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FBI director says Feds still can't unlock iPhone in Pensacola shooting case
The FBI took some Congressional-strength flack today for wanting an iPhone backdoor for law enforcement.
Photo: Dave Newman/Flickr CC

Congress has called the FBI on the carpet for its attempt to require Apple to build a backdoor into the iPhone. A letter went out today from a bi-partisan group of representatives  accusing the law enforcement agency of over-stating difficulties in unlocked iPhones involved in crimes.

The ten congresspeople wrote that the FBI deliberately didn’t explore all the options to unlock the iPhone belonging to a mass shooter because they wanted an excuse to force Apple to modify iOS so it’s easy for law enforcement to access.

Apple ranks among world’s most trusted tech companies

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Apple takes privacy seriously
This privacy pledge in iOS 11.3 is why people can trust Apple.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

People trust Apple. A recent survey found that only a tiny percentage of Americans think the iPhone maker is irresponsible with their personal data.

That’s good news for Tim Cook and co., who have worked hard to differentiate themselves from Facebook, the least trusted tech company by a wide margin.

How to kick out companies that access your Facebook profile

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Facebook Profile
You might be amazed how many companies you allow to read your complete Facebook profile.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Facebook now lists in one place all the companies that you’ve given access to your profile info. This makes deleting this access a snap, right from your iPhone or iPad.

You may have taken a silly Facebook quiz to find out which droid from Star Wars you most resemble. Just by doing so, you allowed the company that made up the quiz entry to your full profile info. And even if that was a decade ago, they still have access today.

Facebook delays smart speaker as privacy scandal grows

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the Facebook logo on an iPhone 6 Plus
Facebook's smart speaker is on the back burner.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Embroiled in controversy, Facebook has delayed the release of its smart speaker. Caught leaking data on millions of its users, the company apparently decided this would be the wrong time to introduce a product designed to gather even more such information.

Open your own private lane on the information superhighway with PureVPN [Deals]

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PureVPN encrypts and accelerates your internet connection while bypassing location restrictions.
PureVPN encrypts and accelerates your internet connection while bypassing location restrictions.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

As open and free as the internet is purported to be, it’s easy to run into a lot of walls and not always safe. A great way to relieve the worry and hassles of online life is PureVPN, a virtual laser-fast private network that secures, anonymizes, and upgrades any online connection. And right now you can get a subscription for $69 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Apple given full marks in new data privacy report

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Heading
Who has your back? Apple does.
Photo: Electronic Frontier Foundation

Apple is one of nine different companies to be given the full five stars in this year’s “Who Has Your Back?” report by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).

“This is Apple’s fifth year in the report, and it has adopted every best practice we’ve identified as part of this report,” the digital advocates group’s report reads. “We commend Apple for its strong stance regarding user rights, transparency, and privacy.”