Categorized | Tips

7 ways to keep your iPhone or iPod touch safe

Posted on 29 October 2009 by Hans
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A lot of us carry important information on our iPhone or iPod touch. Some people have their e-mails, passwords, or even their bank account information stored in it. It is very important to take steps to make sure your iDevice is secure, and this article will show you how this can be done.

1. Set an alpha-numeric passcode

Set alpha-numeric passcode

By default, anyone can simply turn on your iPhone or iPod touch and access any application that you have installed. You can go to Settings -> Password -> Passcode Lock and set a 4 digit password to prevent that from happening. For stronger security I recommend that you use a password with letters, numbers, and symbols (alpha-numeric).

Here are the steps to enable an alpha-numeric password:

  • 1. Go to http://www.iphoneos3.com/secure on your iPhone or iPod touch and click on the download link to download the configuration file.
  • 2. Click Install button, and then click the Install Now button to install the Profile.
  • 3. Once the Profile is installed you can set your password and confirm it.

2. Turn on the trusty Erase Data feature

Erase Data

After you’ve set your passcode, go to Settings -> Password -> Passcode Lock and switch the Erase Data slider to ON. With the Erase Data feature, all of the data on your iPhone or iPod touch will be deleted immediately after 10 unsuccessful login attempts. You should also go to Settings -> General and set the Auto-Lock time to 1 Minute so your device automatically locks after a minute of inactivity.

<div class=”newpost”>
<h2>1. Set an alpha-numeric passcode</h2>
By default, anyone can simply turn on your iPhone or iPod touch and access any application that you have installed. You can go to <strong>Settings -&gt; Password -&gt; Passcode Lock </strong>and set a 4 digit password to prevent that from happening. For stronger security I recommend that you use a password with letters, numbers, and symbols (alpha-numeric).

3. Use Find My iPhone and Remote Wipe

Find My iPhone

Apple has a service called Find My iPhone and Remote Wipe for MobileMe users. With Find My iPhone you can track the exact location of your iPhone  if you lost it or if someone stole it. You can also send a message to your iPhone asking whoever finds it to return it to you. With the Remote Wipe feature you can remotely delete your Addresses, phone numbers, emails, and photos. It costs $99/year to be a MobileMe user. You can find out more about MobileMe at http://www.apple.com/mobileme.

4. Enable the anti-phishing feature for Safari

Safari: Fraud warning

Phishing websites are basically websites or links you visit that are disguised as other sites and steal your login information. Safari has a built-in feature that automatically detects and warns you if you are visiting a phishing website. You can go to Settings -> General -> Safari to turn it on. In my tests Safari was able to detect every phishing link, but you shouldn’t just rely on Safari. When in doubt, just type in the URL of the website you want to go to instead of clicking on a link that you suspect goes to a phising website.

5. Clear your history, cache, and cookies

Clear history, cache, or cookies

Some websites keep you logged in unless you log out yourself. You should clear your history, cache, and cookies after viewing websites where you are required to enter in important information like your web mail account or credit card number. To do this, go to Settings -> General – > Safari.

6. Only use secure WiFi networks

WiFi networks

If you use WiFi , you should only stick to trusted WiFi networks that have encrypted connections.

7. Stay updated with the most current firmware

IPSW file

Keep your iPhone or iPod touch up to date with the latest iPhone OS firmware so that your device is not vulnerable to any exploits in older firmwares. iTunes automatically checks for updates when you sync your device.

If you have any other tips, feel free to share them with us in the comments below!









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24 Responses to “7 ways to keep your iPhone or iPod touch safe”

  1. Canada Chuck Farley from Ontario, Canada says:
    Yeah you wouldn’t want your firmware to be vulnerable to those awful exploits… You know the ones that don’t force you to stay locked to a specific carrier!!! =P

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 73 Thumb down 19

  2. United States Daniel from Texas, United States says:

    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.

    Poorly-rated. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 19 Thumb down 60

  3. United Kingdom Nick Laurie from Southampton, United Kingdom says:
    How can I remove the ’secure’ password lock? I like it, but the compulsory inclusion of both letters and digits is annoying me!

    Hot debate. What do you think? Thumb up 15 Thumb down 14

    • France Hans from Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France says:
      Go to Settings -> General -> Passcode lock and tap on the Turn Passcode Off button.

      Hot debate. What do you think? Thumb up 16 Thumb down 17

      • United States Caterina from Florida, United States says:
        That Doesn’t Work, I Relly Want To Put It Back To The Old PassWordThing With The 4-Digits.

        Hot debate. What do you think? Thumb up 8 Thumb down 10

        • United Kingdom joshuadiagd from Southend-on-Sea, United Kingdom says:
          go to general profiles then remove profile
          then disable and reenable pass code
          bang its gone

          Hot debate. What do you think? Thumb up 10 Thumb down 7

  4. Australia mike from Queensland, Australia says:
    is anyone can tel me how am i gonne unlock the network to my iphone please. thnx

    Hot debate. What do you think? Thumb up 6 Thumb down 8

  5. India justina from Karnataka, India says:
    i upgraded my phone to the latest software 3.1.2 and it is very slow and it hangs any1 got any answers
    i do not want to do a restore because it might gt locked again
    please help

    Hot debate. What do you think? Thumb up 11 Thumb down 10

  6. Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.

    Poorly-rated. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 15

  7. WILL U BE ABLE TO SWITCH BACK AND FORTH FROM THE alpha-numeric passcode????

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 6

  8. India siddharth from Uttar Pradesh, India says:

    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.

    Poorly-rated. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 10

  9. Saudi Arabia lee from Saudi Arabia says:
    I just unlocked my iphone, but I am not able to install the applications that are on my itunes library. it keeps on giving an error. what can I do please email me
    thank you

    Hot debate. What do you think? Thumb up 6 Thumb down 6

  10. United States jeff from Oklahoma, United States says:
    be careful when upgrading to 3.1.3 because there is no jailbreak for that firmware yet. So if you screw up your iphone and by accidentally update to that firmware you will lose your jailbreak and unlock and will be stuck with a stock iphone until someone comes out with an updated jailbreak/unlock software. check with quickpwn.com or blackra1n.com for the latest jailbreak firmware.

    Please dont delete this post. I’m not advertising. Just trying to help.
    Cheers

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 1

  11. Kuwait saj from Al Kuwayt, Kuwait says:

    hi my iphone 3gs 3.1.2 unlocked with blackrain.can i update software to 3.1.3 from itunes.is there any problem or will lock etc…
    thanx for the reply in advance

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 2

    • United States Nanahd from Alaska, United States says:

      No do not upgrade in you want to keep your unlock. Mine was unlocked with blackrain and I accidently updated to 3.1.3 and now can’t unlock my itouch again and my home button doesn’t work, that is why I unlocked it to begin with so that I could put an app close from Cydia on it. Apple wants $199 to fix the home button. So wait until there is a jailbreak for 3.1.3 before you update.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0

    • United States Frank from Illinois, United States says:

      if you update to 3.1.3 and you unlocked using blackra1n it will lock again

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1

    • United States vickram from California, United States says:

      do not update if you dont want to get locked again. There is no unlock for 3.1.3 as yet

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0

  12. United Kingdom niel from Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom says:

    to clear the password all you have to do is resore thats the big problem

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1

  13. Canada roshan from Ontario, Canada says:

    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.

    Poorly-rated. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 4

    • United States vickram from California, United States says:

      connect your iphone to computer and run blackra1n . do not update at all

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 2

  14. United States vickram from California, United States says:

    use blackra1n after connecting your phone to pc

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 2

  15. United States janie89 from Texas, United States says:

    hi..how can i jailbreak my ipod touch 3gen version 3.1.2 model MC..i tried blackra1n it worked but i uninstalled it and i want it back on my device so i can get cydia…..can anyone help me..please..??

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

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