Security Holes Fixed By IOS 4

Apple has released the newest version of the iPhone/iPod/iPad software, collectively known as iOS. Formerly known as iPhone OS, the new name is not the only change to be had with this update.

On Apple's website, there is a list of 64 security risks which have been fixed in this new version. The area of the operating system which was apparently the most vulnerable to security breaches is WebKit. WebKit is the browser engine which powers mobile safari on iDevices, and was the cause for 50 of the security patches. That's three quarters of the errors fixed. Of the security holes in WebKit, over half of them would allow "arbitrary code execution" which is a nice way of saying run a program on your device which could either harm your device or access your personal information, just by pointing your mobile browser at the wrong website.

There were 14 non-WebKit related security updates. Safari itself receives the blame for a few of these. There were problems with cookies being accepted when they should have been disabled. There were also issues with URLs during redirects between http and https sites. Furthermore, there were vulnerabilities when viewing "maliciously crafted" BMP, TIFF, and JPEG images. These images could cause data from Safari's memory to be sent to the web server or for more "arbitrary code execution" on the device.

Another severe security vulnerability relates to the passcode lock on iDevices. The first issue is with the Remote Lock via MobileMe. In this instance, the device must be unlocked due to receiving a text message or voicemail, then locked with Remote Lock. The next time the device is unlocked, the passcode will be displayed, thereby granting access to anyone who is in physical possession of said device. The other vulnerability comes in the form of pairing devices with a new computer. As it stands, this can only be done while unlocked. There is a chance for a race condition when the device is initially booted, if it was unlocked when shut down. This can allow the device to be paired with a new computer without unlocking the device first.

All of these issues have been fixed with the release of iOS 4. Now the only question is whether or not there will be more opportunities for these security holes to be exploited before the iPad version is released this fall, especially now that they have been published.