Author Topic: Got an iPhone or 3G iPad? Apple is recording your moves (Read 2626 times)

TechMan · « **on:** April 20, 2011, 09:50:00 PM »

http://radar.oreilly.com/2011/04/apple-location-tracking.html

Ever since iOS 4, Apple has been recording the iPhone and 3G iPad users' locations, in an unencrypted file.

Quote

We're not sure why Apple is gathering this data, but it's clearly intentional, as the database is being restored across backups, and even device migrations.

The file is also stored on any device that you sync your iOS device too. It stores the lat/long and a time stamp in a file named consolidate.db More at the above linky.

Boomhauer · « **Reply #1 on:** April 20, 2011, 09:51:39 PM »

For some reason, I seem to recall saying in threads here that Apple was a little too Big Brother-esque for comfort?

Yeah, this is one of those things...

dogmush · « **Reply #2 on:** April 21, 2011, 07:57:27 AM »

Wow, The world might actually be ending when us Android users feel like Google is respecting our privacy.

/tougue in cheek

AmbulanceDriver · « **Reply #3 on:** April 21, 2011, 07:35:59 PM »

Quote from: dogmush on April 21, 2011, 07:57:27 AM

Wow, The world might actually be ending when us Android users feel like Google is respecting our privacy.

/tougue in cheek

:D

Fitz · « **Reply #4 on:** April 21, 2011, 08:29:30 PM »

http://caffeine.shugendo.org/2011/04/21/iphones-and-location-lets-not-get-hysterical/

News outlets being sensationalists. It's not as it seems

KD5NRH · « **Reply #5 on:** April 22, 2011, 02:04:07 AM »

Quote from: Fitz on April 21, 2011, 08:29:30 PM

News outlets being sensationalists. It's not as it seems

There would be no reason to create this log file if they didn't have some plans to use it later.

Balog · « **Reply #6 on:** April 22, 2011, 02:15:32 AM »

"Oh you hysterical gun owners. What possible harm could mandatory registration of all guns do?"

MS, Google, and Apple are all interested in raping your privacy for profit. If you trust one over the other you're fooling yourself.

Fitz · « **Reply #7 on:** April 22, 2011, 04:06:40 AM »

Sigh. Read the article

MicroBalrog · « **Reply #8 on:** April 22, 2011, 08:35:12 AM »

Quote from: Fitz on April 22, 2011, 04:06:40 AM

Sigh. Read the article

So it's not very good at saving your information. IT still saves your information.

Fitz · « **Reply #9 on:** April 22, 2011, 08:38:11 AM »

So what? All cell phones, All of them, give the carrier, the gov, etc the ability to see where you are. What difference does it make in how it is implemented?

TechMan · « **Reply #10 on:** April 22, 2011, 08:45:48 AM »

Quote from: Fitz on April 22, 2011, 08:38:11 AM

So what? All cell phones, All of them, give the carrier, the gov, etc the ability to see where you are. What difference does it make in how it is implemented?

That is true, but this gives anybody that can access your phone (say you lose it) to see your movements.

Fitz · « **Reply #11 on:** April 22, 2011, 09:08:14 AM »

If you lose ANY phone, people can get names, addresses, etc.

Poor resolution location data is the least of your worries in that scenario.

Besides, if you have a smartphone, you absolutely should be running a utility or service that can remote wipe in the event of loss. Especially with how many people do banking on their phones

TechMan · « **Reply #12 on:** April 22, 2011, 10:42:26 AM »

Quote from: Fitz on April 22, 2011, 09:08:14 AM

If you lose ANY phone, people can get names, addresses, etc.

Poor resolution location data is the least of your worries in that scenario.

Besides, if you have a smartphone, you absolutely should be running a utility or service that can remote wipe in the event of loss. Especially with how many people do banking on their phones

Good point. Still don't like it. I know that the .gov and cell providers can do the tracking, but that generally takes a warrant. I don't like the tracking without my consent or fully being informed about the tracking.

Fitz · « **Reply #13 on:** April 22, 2011, 10:54:54 AM »

Warrants. Lol.

Do they bother to get those anymore?

Anyhow, according to several tech blows, android phones do it too. it appears the location data is only locally readable. My guess is its being cached to improve performance in some function.

Also, disabling location services seems to stop the caching, at least on my Android phone.

Can anyone with an iPhone see if disabling all location services stops the caching?

RevDisk · « **Reply #14 on:** April 22, 2011, 11:21:01 AM »

Quote from: Fitz on April 22, 2011, 10:54:54 AM

Warrants. Lol.

Do they bother to get those anymore?

Yes, they can and do access your locational data provider side without warrants. It is however less useful in prosecution. The iPhone/iPad data (and provider data obtained with a warrant) can be used as evidence.

Quote from: Fitz on April 22, 2011, 10:54:54 AM

Anyhow, according to several tech blows, android phones do it too. it appears the location data is only locally readable. My guess is its being cached to improve performance in some function.

Also, disabling location services seems to stop the caching, at least on my Android phone.

Can anyone with an iPhone see if disabling all location services stops the caching?

The Android information held in /data/data/com.google.android.location/files is not remotely identical. It's a location cache. Not a extensive log file. It's meant to decrease the time to find your accurate location. Virtually all GPS units do this. It gets wiped and replaced every so often with updated info as you turn location service on and off, or move around.

The Android thing is a not aimed at privacy breach, but pretty much necessary timely functionality.
The iPhone thing, who knows? But it is not in any way necessary to improve functionality.

seeker_two · « **Reply #15 on:** April 22, 2011, 11:37:08 AM »

Hmmm....makes me glad to be a Blackberry user....for now....

And now this.....

http://us.blackberry.com/playbook-tablet/?CPID=KNC-kw327221_p6&HBX_PK=rim|0be88466-9499-1528-925d-00007cb3b663

Balog · « **Reply #16 on:** April 22, 2011, 11:52:19 AM »

Fitz: so why do you think Apple has designed this? Not like it accidentally happened.

Frt I don't think this is a Big Brother scenario, they don't need help in this area. I think it's a camel's nose for location specific adverts. Which is enough to make me vehemently against it. I loathe targeted advertising.

RevDisk · « **Reply #17 on:** April 22, 2011, 12:41:55 PM »

Quote from: seeker_two on April 22, 2011, 11:37:08 AM

Hmmm....makes me glad to be a Blackberry user....for now....

And now this.....

http://us.blackberry.com/playbook-tablet/?CPID=KNC-kw327221_p6&HBX_PK=rim|0be88466-9499-1528-925d-00007cb3b663

Blackberry is the most secure smartphone on the market. By an insane margin. It's best used with a BES, but is pretty good even stand alone. It was designed to be, whereas the iPhone never was.

And I agree with Balog's assessment. It's probably designed for something annoying, as the phone company handles the more troubling Big Brother scenarios. They do not have an option under CALEA either.

birdman · « **Reply #18 on:** April 23, 2011, 08:17:22 AM »

Quote from: RevDisk on April 22, 2011, 12:41:55 PM

Blackberry is the most secure smartphone on the market. By an insane margin. It's best used with a BES, but is pretty good even stand alone. It was designed to be, whereas the iPhone never was.

And I agree with Balog's assessment. It's probably designed for something annoying, as the phone company handles the more troubling Big Brother scenarios. They do not have an option under CALEA either.

Secure-er: yes (its morning, I'm using made up words because I'm hungry and the GF won't wake up)
Better: mine sucks. YMMV

Fitz · « **Reply #19 on:** April 23, 2011, 08:19:29 AM »

wake her ass up. I'm hungry. Wee need to eat!

News:

Author Topic: Got an iPhone or 3G iPad? Apple is recording your moves (Read 2626 times)