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Ipod/Safari Mobile Security Issue

S

SkyDiver

Senior member
Hi All,

I saw this article on DailyTech about Safari being very insecure. Safari Link

I just allowed my kid to connect to my wireless network via an Ipod Touch which has Safari Mobile as the browser.

When I saw the article, I cut off his access. What do you think? Should I be concerned?

Security Profile: WPA / TKIP. I'm not broadcasting my SSID and I have MAC filtering enabled. I know that these precautions aren't enough to stop a real hacker, but I'm trying to do what I can.

Any input would be greatly appreciated. I'm not an expert on networking at all.

Thanks.

 
IMHO, you are being ridiculously paranoid. But like i said, thats IMHO. WPA encryption is enough, MAC filtering is just a unneeded headache, that isn't really worth it. If you where still using WEP, then maybe, but make you're like 10x easier and disable MAC filtering. Cutting off you're sons internet access is a little extreme dont you think? Safari is fine...
 
There's nothing wrong with MAC filtering, it might not be the best security mechanism but it won't hurt anything.
 
Well, he has a Windows Vista laptop that he can use to connect. I'm more concerned that giving him this broadband access is enabling his laziness. He isn't nearly as motivated as other kids in our circle. He seems quite content to spend his money on iPods and fancy cell phones vs. saving for a good car, education, etc.

Not that I saved for education. I just went into debt.
 
You have no real reason to be concerned. Even if the flaw is in Mobile Safari, someone would need to write code specifically to exploit this flaw on the Touch/iPhone and then do something destructive with it in the limited confines of the hardware. He'll be fine, no one is going to bother with such a small target.
 
A lot of people take these precautions.
IMHO, your not going to get hacked. You have nothing anyone wants. There not going to waste there time to get to such things as your email or read your files on your computer. My friends dad changes there external IP everytime it gets hit by a port scanner, These people are looking for something open, like a open FTP server to look at. I ran a FTP server here for awhile, and it got hit by bots hundreds of times a day. But no one ever got in.
 
Originally posted by: NickOlsen8390
A lot of people take these precautions.
IMHO, your not going to get hacked. You have nothing anyone wants. There not going to waste there time to get to such things as your email or read your files on your computer. My friends dad changes there external IP everytime it gets hit by a port scanner, These people are looking for something open, like a open FTP server to look at. I ran a FTP server here for awhile, and it got hit by bots hundreds of times a day. But no one ever got in.
Click to expand...

I disagree. I believe there's a real threat ... spam nets and folks actively seeking credit card or other personal information. I the "average user" ever used a credit card on their computer, at least some, and probably all of that information is is still on the disk somewhere ... in a cache or a buffer, and it can be retrieved.

Certainly one could go overboard, but some measure of security awareness is a Very Good Thing.

"Kids" tend to go looking for and at things they shouldn't be, and have a tendency to pick up bugs. Limiting devices with sub-optimal security methods, or putting them in a quarantine LAN segment ... probably not a bad idea. I haven't seen anything on Safari, I know nothing of the specific issue mentioned, but on the surface, I think he did the right thing.

FWIW

Scott
 
Originally posted by: ScottMac
I disagree. I believe there's a real threat ... spam nets and folks actively seeking credit card or other personal information. I the "average user" ever used a credit card on their computer, at least some, and probably all of that information is is still on the disk somewhere ... in a cache of a buffer, and it can be retrieved.
Click to expand...

You make a valid point, But I'm doubting someone is going to look at the average users half way closed network, like a firewall on a linksys, and go for the easy targets that are bound to be in your same Class C, The ones that have the modem plugged right into the modem and are none the wiser.
 
Hey Guys,

I have a modem that runs from my computer to the phone and then out to the wall. I use it to auto dial from my DayTimer Organizer software.

Is this a security risk? (I don't use it much, but it is satisfying to hear the computer doing all the work of dialing.)
 
I wouldn't think so, because the connection is only open when you make it. Broadband is always on giving you a larger chance of something happening.
 
If you're going to cut off access to an iPod.. then you might as well cut off access to every computer in the house. When it comes down to it, there just as vulnerable. You just happened to read a sensationalist artical targeting Safari.
 
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