These YouTube videos demonsrate just how easy it is to bypass the passcode and backup encryption in an iPhone 3G[s] within only a couple of minutes’ time. A second video shows how easily tools can pull an unencrypted raw disk image from the device. The seriousness of the iPhone 3G[s]’ vulnerabilities may make enterprises and government agencies think twice before allowing these devices to contain confidential data. Apple has been alerted to and aware of these vulnerabilities for many years, across all three models of iPhone, but has failed to address them.
The 3G[s] has penetrated the government/military markets as well as top fortune-100s, possibly under the misleading marketing term “hardware encryption”, which many have taken at face value. Serious vulnerabilities such as these threaten to put our country’s national security at risk. Apple’s only fix thus far has been to consistently put a few nails on the front door, but they have thus far failed to fix the major underlying design issues that allow for this threat. Unfortunately, the only way Apple seems to listen is through addressing such problems publicly, as all previous attempts to talk with them have failed. I sincerely hope they fix these issues before a breach occurs.