Private information stored in Apple's iPhone and protected by a lock code can be accessed by anyone with just a few button presses Private information stored in Apple’s iPhone and protected by a lock code can be accessed by anyone with just a few button presses.The iPhone, like most mobile phones, can be locked with a four-digit code, but where other phones in their locked state only permit calls to emergency service numbers such as 911 (in the U.S.), 999 (in the U.K.) and 112 (throughout Europe), a locked iPhone can be used to make a call to any number.However, that’s not all you can do with a locked iPhone running the latest version of Apple’s software, 2.0.2.Pressing the emergency call button at the unlock screen, followed by two taps on the home button, takes you to the iPhone’s private ‘favorites’ page without the need to enter the unlock code. If the owner of the phone has favorite entries in their address book containing URLs, e-mail addresses or mobile phone numbers, then those entries can be used to launch the browser, mail application or SMS (Short Message Service) software and gain access to private Web favorites, e-mail messages and text messages stored in the phone, again without entering the unlock code. The security flaw, revealed by a member of the MacRumors.com forum, came as a surprise to an Apple spokeswoman in London, who said she would look into the matter.One way to avoid such unauthorized access to e-mail messages or Web favorites would be not to add e-mail addresses or URLs to favorite address book entries. Apple pushed version 2.0 of its iPhone software as being more enterprise-friendly: some businesses had been reluctant to adopt the first version of the iPhone because it did not adequately protect corporate information stored in the device.Copyright © 2008 IDG News Service. All rights reserved. IDG News Service is a trademark of International Data Group, Inc. Related content news analysis Companies are already feeling the pressure from upcoming US SEC cyber rules New Securities and Exchange Commission cyber incident reporting rules don't kick in until December, but experts say they highlight the need for greater collaboration between CISOs and the C-suite By Cynthia Brumfield Sep 28, 2023 6 mins Regulation Regulation Regulation news UK data regulator warns that data breaches put abuse victims’ lives at risk The UK Information Commissioner’s Office has reprimanded seven organizations in the past 14 months for data breaches affecting victims of domestic abuse. By Michael Hill Sep 28, 2023 3 mins Electronic Health Records Data Breach Government news EchoMark releases watermarking solution to secure private communications, detect insider threats Enterprise-grade software embeds AI-driven, forensic watermarking in emails and documents to pinpoint potential insider risks By Michael Hill Sep 28, 2023 4 mins Communications Security Threat and Vulnerability Management Security Software news SpecterOps to use in-house approximation to test for global attack variations The new offering uses atomic tests and in-house approximation in purple team assessment to test all known techniques of an attack. By Shweta Sharma Sep 28, 2023 3 mins Penetration Testing Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe