Slashdot Mirror
iOS 9.3 Will Tell You If Your Employer Is Monitoring Your iPhone (mashable.com)
An anonymous reader writes: Nobody likes being monitored. But even if you suspected your company is following your activities on the iPhone, would you know where to check? In the next iteration of its smartphone operating system, iOS 9.3, Apple is looking to make this an easier task. According to Reddit user MaGNeTiX, the latest beta of iOS 9.3 has a message telling users their iPhone is being supervised. The message is as prominent as can be, both on the device's lock screen and in the About section. "This iPhone is managed by your organization," the message on the lock screen says. And in the About screen, you get a little more detail, with a message saying your iPhone's supervisor can monitor your Internet traffic and locate your device.
My employer already has a notice on the lock screen about monitoring, but even if they didn't, anyone who has a device managed by their employer should assume it is being monitored unless proven otherwise.
Sure it's obvious to technical people like us that a company issued phone is going to be monitored and administered remotely.
But how many non-technical people would know enough to assume that? It's for those people the prominent message can help them think twice before doing something with the company device they may regret later,
If you think about it, it's even helpful for technical people - because as you say, a technical user would assume a company phone would be monitored and controlled. So if you do NOT see this message on a company device you can ask your IT staff why the hell they are not using MDM to control the devices.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Include an alert if your phone has negotiated an unencrypted connection with the nearest "cell tower" (aka Stingray). Like my Motorola Razr v3 does.
Have gnu, will travel.
Instead of advising us our phones are monitored, which we already know, the device informs us when anyone actively uses these functions, especially remote access to the cam/mic. Locate notification should be an option but in practice many organizations would simply have automatic logging of this data and it would trigger every few minutes.
I worked at a company where the management team got very insecure about their positions and thought that the regular employees were out to get them. So they got a program to remotely monitor desktops. One morning my manager came running over to my cubicle to inform me that I wasn't allowed to look at Amazon on company time. And then he discovered that I had a breakfast burrito from the roach coach in hand, which meant I was on my break and I'm allowed to look at the Internet on my break time. So I told him to bugger off. Since the company next door had an open wireless access point, many of my coworkers used their PDA's to browse the internet to avoid using their PCs.
They can get into *their* phone, which they are letting you use, without your pin if they are doing it right.
They can't get into *your* phone, which you bought yourself and manage yourself, without your pin.
IOW - If your employer provides you with a phone, it's not really yours.
Why would someone let your employer monitor YOUR iphone?
The employer may require it as a condition of letting you attach your device to their network. You don't have to let them monitor your phone but they don't have to let you access their network with it either.
If you're on their network, it's fair game.
Geez, the phone was not issued or owned by the FBI, it was owned by a county.
The FBI ordered the county technician to change the iCloud account password, doing the exact opposite of what Apple told them to do. In short, FBI stands for Fumbling Bumbling Idiots.
Why would someone let your employer monitor YOUR iphone? I could see if they supplied it but not if it is mine.
A previous employer told me I'd have to let them install some way-too-creepy MDM rootkit on my personal phone if I wanted to access corporate email from it. I asked if I'd be reimbursed for turning it into company hardware. When they said no, I explained that I would not be reachable from my personal phone so not to bother emailing or messaging me after hours. That is, if the situation didn't warrant them picking up a phone and calling me, then it could wait until the next business day.
They were surprised because that wasn't the standard answer, but I stuck to my guns. It's bad enough when you expect me to be available for routine work (not emergency! I'm always available for that!) at home on my own time, but you want to co-opt my personal equipment to enslave me to a virtual, omnipresent desk? No thanks.
Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
My employer has very simple solution for this. Only company's equipment allowed on Ethernet and Wi-Fi. But there is also a parallel WiFi network for guests and employees' private devices. Easy to implement, the best of both worlds.
No sig today.
The iPhone was many things, but useful it was, most assuredly, not. The lack of basic features like task switching and copy/paste put it well behind the competition on that front. It's why BBs outsold iPhone and Android handsets for years after you inexplicably believe they "bombed".
They're still leagues ahead of iOS and Android when it comes to management, privacy, security, and usability.
Required reading for internet skeptics