FWIW: China Labels iPhone a Security Threat

"
BEIJING—China's influential state broadcaster on Friday called a location-tracking function offered by Apple Inc. AAPL +0.29% 's iPhone a "national security concern," in the latest sign of a backlash in the country against U.S. technology firms.

In its national noon broadcast, state-run China Central Television criticized the "frequent locations" function in Apple's iOS 7 mobile operating system, which tracks and records the time and location of the owner's movements. The report quoted researchers who said that those with access to that data could gain knowledge of the broader situation in China or "even state secrets."

Apple didn't respond to requests for comment.

http://online.wsj.com/articles/china-labels-apple-iphone-a-security-threat-1405062978?mod=mktw

 

It's kind of a pot meet kettle situation. China is just taking the road Europe has, basically saying U.S companies and agencies can't spy on Chinese or European citizens and businesses, but European and Chinese companies and agencies can. It's a stupid argument, but so far it's working. Mobile devices are just tracking devices with extra features. We all know it, we all willingly stick them in our pockets and go about our business.

 

Governments ~ Snipped as per TOS ~ on one another over government spying aside, do all smartphones have this Apple feature where some internal device tracks your movemenets, location, and time thereof. I don't think that anyone believes they cannot be tracked by some government snooping agency, but doesn't this feature allow tracking by hackers? What good that info is to hackers I'm not sure, other than telling them if you are home, your daily routine, where you bank, what ATM machines you use and when, where you shop , etc.

 

'Apple Refutes China Assertions on IPhone as Security Risk

....in response, Apple said on its Chinese website that it has never “worked with any government agency from any country to create a backdoor in any of our products or services.”

The tracking function is used to speed up applications designed to show iPhone users their own location or assist in driving directions to avoid traffic. It can be turned off, Apple said in its statement. Personal location information is stored only on the phone, protected by a user password, and isn’t available to third parties, the company said."

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-...na-assertions-on-iphone-as-security-risk.html

Somehow I do not find this refutation by Apple as very reassuring respecting iPhone security and it's potential for abuse.

 

http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2014/07/14/iphones-are-a-security-threat-to-the-state-china-claims/