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2.0 Firmware To Have Secure Erase

Submitted by Edward Kirk on June 25, 2008 - 6:18pm.
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Sources using the latest beta build of the unreleased iPhone 2.0 firmware say that it was recently updated with additional security features. While both versions of the iPhone currently have an "Erase All Contents and Settings" option, it is now known that firmware v1.x (the public software) only does a regular deletion of the information stored on the device. In the 2.0 firmware, sources say that this option will mimic the "Secure Empty Trash" deletion in Mac OS X.

The new deletion method implemented should be greatly more secure. While normal deletion just deletes the files, v2.0 deletes the files, unlinks them, and overwrites the affected memory sectors several times, ensuring that it cannot be recovered. This should prevent anyone from recovering a previous owner's data, like we saw earlier.

Although it does ensure that private information can never be recovered by the wrong person, it does take much longer to do. The new feature is said to take a whole hour.

It is possible that the new more secure "Erase iPhone" feature is made to compliment the remote wipe option they announced at WWDC in order to make the iPhone more appealing to businesses and their IT departments. It will also be made available at a time when many people will most likely be preparing to sell or swap their iPhone in preparation for the iPhone 3G.

[via AppleInsider]

Submitted by Kevin Dunahee on June 25, 2008 - 6:57pm.
I'm assuming the 'remote wipe' that business customers take advantage of is secure so it makes perfect sense that this would be too I guess. In fact, I'd be surprised if it wasn't a secure erase. Anybody that actually wants to read that data is going to know how to read single pass erased drives. IMHO

Good Move

Submitted by eclipse on June 26, 2008 - 12:47am.
damn but a whole hour.battery life....gone...but stil a good option to have. Be better if u caould do it while hooked up to iTunes.

Remote wipe

Submitted by mikeyg on June 26, 2008 - 1:58am.
Does this remote wipe idea kinda scare anyone else? I'm not sure i like the idea of some hacker finding a way to wipe people phones from the comfort of his house!

Submitted by Rivers on June 26, 2008 - 3:51am.
I hadn't even thought about hackers getting in and remote wiping. I was just so dazzled by the super cool secret agent "emergency wipe" thing that it never occured to me.

Apple seems to be getting more and more secret agent, btw. It's fine, just pointing it out

Submitted by ShawVegas on June 26, 2008 - 9:20am.
So what's the difference between wiping the data the method mentioned here vs. a fresh restore in itunes? Seems like to me with a fresh restore to iphones original settings, would take the entire firmware with all data off the phone, and replace it with the firmware of your choice. That's what I did when I sold my 1st gen on ebay. I tried for 2 hours to get my old data off the device, but no dice. This method mentioned in this article is much more user friendly of course.

Submitted by WatersWest on June 26, 2008 - 5:43pm.
Imagine you type (& print) a letter to a friend. You decide not to send it. You put it in the garbage. It still exists and can be found if someone goes looking through your garbage. That's the equivalent to the current "deleting" process in the current firmware. It simply designates the data as "deleted" but the data still exists, though not visible to the user. However, since it is still there, someone who knows how to go "looking through your garbage can" (on your phone) can find the data.

Now imagine that instead of throwing that letter in the garbage can, you soak the letter in water until all the ink runs off the paper. You then let the paper dry, put it in the shredder, and burn the remaining shreds. Now there's nothing to find if someone goes looking through your garbage can. That's the equivalent of the new secure wipe. It physically overwrites the data so that it doesn't exist anymore as opposed to simply marking it for deletion.