iPhone "Bugging" (was: Re: Apple retroactively removing apps from your iphone/ipod touch when they are removed from the App Store)

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

________________________________________
From: Lauren Weinstein [lauren () vortex com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 06, 2008 5:10 PM
To: David Farber
Cc: lauren () vortex com
Subject: iPhone "Bugging" (was: Re: [IP] Apple retroactively removing apps from your iphone/ipod touch when they are 
removed from the App Store)

Dave,

This brings up an iPhone issue that I've had bouncing around for some
time.  I've had a number of people ask me if the high level of remote
programmability apparent in the iPhone makes the device particularly
vulnerable to the types of "embedded" cell phone bugging techniques
I described back in:

http://lauren.vortex.com/archive/000213.html

I've had to answer that I simply didn't know -- I don't have enough
details about the iPhone system architecture to render a solid
judgment about this.

But in light of the stories floating around, I'd be very interested
in the opinions of any iPhone systems experts on this topic.

Thanks.

--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein
lauren () vortex com or lauren () pfir org
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
http://www.pfir.org/lauren
Co-Founder, PFIR
   - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
Co-Founder, NNSquad
   - Network Neutrality Squad - http://www.nnsquad.org
Founder, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com
Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com

  - - -

> ________________________________________
> From: Sam Posten [sposten () gmail com]
> Sent: Wednesday, August 06, 2008 4:24 PM
> To: David Farber
> Subject: Apple retroactively removing apps from your iphone/ipod touch when they are removed from the App Store
>
> Professor Farber, I have learned of an interesting twist to the Apple iPhone App Store that I havent seen discussed 
> widely and I think many IP readers may no
> t be aware of, I know I wasnt aware of it myself.
>
> According to Terry White, who runs a technology enthusiast web site, when Apple removes an app from the App Store, 
> the next time you sync iTunes will automat
> ically remove that application from any iPhones or iPod Touches you have it installed on!   Even if you paid for it.  
> Even if it is by all accounts legal.  E
> ven if it has no chance of harming other users or the telecommunications infrastructure.  And it does this without 
> significant warning.
>
> http://terrywhite.com/techblog/?p=753
>
> The context of this story is framed around Netshare, an application that seems legal EXCEPT where it comes to the 
> terms of use of your AT&T TOS.  I am not an
>  AT&T subscriber and am not subject to their TOS.  While I did not buy Netshare and had no plans to do so, it is 
> conceivable that users like me might use a s
> imilar application to have an iPod tethered to a laptop to have this device act as a kind of rudimentary firewall, 
> and I'm sure a lot of IP readers who are m
> uch more saavy about this could come up with a lot more interesting uses.  Regardless, it is very disturbing that 
> Apple could do this to my device without my
>  permission.  Suppose Apple all of a sudden determined that they did not want to support explicit podcasts or songs 
> any more, wouldnt their be a huge outcry
> if all of a sudden they started removing these bits off of our devices?  It's a terribly slippery slope and if we 
> allow these vendors to take these liberties
>  with OUR property there is no telling how far they will push this capability.
>
> Sam
>
>
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