![]() At first we weren't sure how much data was there, but after we dug further and visualised the extracted data, it became clear that there was a scary amount of detail on our movements," Warden said. "We'd been discussing doing a visualisation of mobile data, and while Alasdair was researching into what was available, he discovered this file. The location file came to light when Warden and Allan were looking for a source of mobile data. The data inside the file containing the location and time information. And it doesn't need to keep an archive on your machine of where you've been." He suggested that Apple might be hoping that it would yield data for future mobile advertising targeted by location, although he added: "I tend to subscribe to cockup rather than conspiracy on things like this – I don't think Apple is really trying to monitor where users are." Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at the security company Sophos, said: "If the data isn't required for anything, then it shouldn't store the location. Encrypting data on the computer is one way to protect against it, though that still leaves the file on the phone. Alternatively, anyone with direct access to a user's computer could run the application and see a visualisation of their movements. If someone were to steal an iPhone and "jailbreak" it, giving them direct access to the files it contains, they could extract the location database directly. The Guardian has confirmed that 3G-enabled devices including the iPad also retain the data and copy it to the owner's computer. Warden and Allan have set up a web page which answers questions about the file, and created a simple downloadable application to let Apple users check for themselves what location data the phone is retaining. Apple declined to comment on why the file is created or whether it can be disabled. The iPhone system, by contrast, appears to record the data whether or not the user agrees. At the time MPs said that Latitude "could substantially endanger user privacy", but Google pointed out that users had to specifically choose to make their data available. MPs in 2009 criticised the search engine giant Google for its "Latitude" system, which allowed people to enable their mobile to give out details of their location to trusted contacts. Standard phones do not record location data. Map shows location data collected from an iPhone that had been used in the southwest of EnglandĪlthough mobile networks already record phones' locations, it is only available to the police and other recognised organisations following a court order under the Regulation of Investigatory Power Act. The fact that is transferred across when you migrate is evidence that the data-gathering isn't accidental." But they said it does not seem to be transmitted to Apple itself. Warden and Allan point out that the file is moved onto new devices when an old one is replaced: "Apple might have new features in mind that require a history of your location, but that's our specualtion. ![]() The absence of notice to users or any control option can only stem from an ignorance about privacy at the design stage." The existence of that data creates a real threat to privacy. Location is one of the most sensitive elements in anyone's life – just think where people go in the evening. Simon Davies, director of the pressure group Privacy International, said: "This is a worrying discovery. "We haven't come across any instances of other phone manufacturers doing this." ![]() "Alasdair has looked for similar tracking code in Android phones and couldn't find any," said Warden. Only the iPhone records the user's location in this way, say Warden and Alasdair Allan, the data scientists who discovered the file and are presenting their findings at the Where 2.0 conference in San Francisco on Wednesday. "Apple has made it possible for almost anybody – a jealous spouse, a private detective – with access to your phone or computer to get detailed information about where you've been," said Pete Warden, one of the researchers. For some phones, there could be almost a year's worth of data stored, as the recording of data seems to have started with Apple's iOS 4 update to the phone's operating system, released in June 2010.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |