iPhone 3.0.1 update patches SMS flaw

[DAB]

Apple on Friday released iPhone Software Update 3.0.1, which fixes the SMS vulnerability demonstrated at the Black Hat security conference on Thursday. The flaw, disclosed by security researchers Charlie Miller and Collin Mulliner, could have allowed a vulnerable phone, such as an iPhone, to be taken over remotely. Apple attributes the flaw in the CoreTelephony framework to a memory corruption issue in the decoding of SMS messages, and credits the find to Miller and Mulliner.


Downloaded and installed with no issues. I personally can't wait for 3.1 which is suppose to address some battery management issues, along with hopefully turning on MMS. AT&T needs to get off the pot!

 

[mrpacs]

Apple on Friday released iPhone Software Update 3.0.1, which fixes the SMS vulnerability demonstrated at the Black Hat security conference on Thursday. The flaw, disclosed by security researchers Charlie Miller and Collin Mulliner, could have allowed a vulnerable phone, such as an iPhone, to be taken over remotely. Apple attributes the flaw in the CoreTelephony framework to a memory corruption issue in the decoding of SMS messages, and credits the find to Miller and Mulliner.


Downloaded and installed with no issues. I personally can't wait for 3.1 which is suppose to address some battery management issues, along with hopefully turning on MMS. AT&T needs to get off the pot!

Do you think the delay on 3.1 is AT&T 's fault and not Apple's?

 

[DAB]

Do you think the delay on 3.1 is AT&T 's fault and not Apple's?

I honestly have no idea about this, but Apple was ready to turn this feature on June 19 and AT&T wasn't ready saying late summer. If 3.1 is going to be the firmware update that turns this feature on, then to some degree I would assume we are waiting on AT&T to say they are ready. There are those testing 3.1 who say it does indeed add the MMS feature to their iPhones. However, it doesn't work because AT&T has this turned off on their end. So, I do think Apple will test this update out very thoroughly (not a bad thing) mainly because they are waiting on AT&T to give them the thumbs up for MMS.

 

[Jon]

Do you think the delay on 3.1 is AT&T 's fault and not Apple's?

I have no doubt in my mind that AT&T is behind the delay. That's the problem with exclusive deals. This also makes me think that the exclusivity of the iPhone to ATT won't last beyond the end of the contract. And that you'll see it on a provider like Verizon. While I have no issues reception-wise with AT&T, I'm not exactly loyal to them and can easily switch providers as long as the iPhone is supported. Not possible now, but maybe in the future.

 

[DAB]

I have no doubt in my mind that AT&T is behind the delay. That's the problem with exclusive deals. This also makes me think that the exclusivity of the iPhone to ATT won't last beyond the end of the contract. And that you'll see it on a provider like Verizon. While I have no issues reception-wise with AT&T, I'm not exactly loyal to them and can easily switch providers as long as the iPhone is supported. Not possible now, but maybe in the future.

From all the reports I've read recently Apple seems pretty darn happy with their exclusive agreement with AT&T. I believe it will get extended myself and the only way I don't see that happening is if they FCC jumps into the fray.

Only a fool is loyal to a specific service such as this, to me it is always about coverage, reception and who provides the better experience overall. I ported over from a much better carrier (Centennial), but I know AT&T is buying them so I just went on and jumped early. I've been happy with AT&T. While I do want the ability to send and receive MMS, along with Tethering it will come along eventually. I knew when I got my iPhone MMS was not supported, so as long as they do it by late summer as they say, I'll be happy.

Long as AT&T is feeding Apple even in their disappointment with AT&T not being ready and them basically hitting them hard in their 3GS roll-out, Apple is all about the money and don't ever be fooled to think otherwise. Verizon could have had this exclusive deal for themselves, but AT&T gave Apple exactly what they wanted and as long as they continue to do that, they have little incentive to jump ship or remain non exclusive to AT&T.

 

[Jon]

By the time Verizon's new network is out, the iPhone contract with AT&T will have expired. It also strikes me funny that the purported 'iPad' touchscreen computer device is rumored to come out on Verizon first (if they don't do another exclusive deal with them). I also think that Apple listens to it's consumers - more often than not - when it comes to these devices. Steve Jobs said the iPod would never have video, not only does it have video, it has an entire store worth of TV shows and Movies. They introduced MMS and Copy/Paste after strong demand by iPhone users who wanted it. iPhone OS 4.0 may well introduce Flash (even though I think flash is a POS) because people want that, too, lord knows why.

 

[DAB]

By the time Verizon's new network is out, the iPhone contract with AT&T will have expired. It also strikes me funny that the purported 'iPad' touchscreen computer device is rumored to come out on Verizon first (if they don't do another exclusive deal with them). I also think that Apple listens to it's consumers - more often than not - when it comes to these devices. Steve Jobs said the iPod would never have video, not only does it have video, it has an entire store worth of TV shows and Movies. They introduced MMS and Copy/Paste after strong demand by iPhone users who wanted it. iPhone OS 4.0 may well introduce Flash (even though I think flash is a POS) because people want that, too, lord knows why.

These small incremental updates based on user request is just Steve Jobs way of milking money out of us over and over again. This is Apple's game and always has been. Again this is all about the money, money talks and bull shit walks! They do this with ALL their products!

There will be an update to the iPod Touch soon and again just enough to get folks to upgrade or swap form something else. No doubt an iPhone 4.0 will add a few goodies that users want so they once again open those wallets.

I personally don't agree with any exclusive deals, I think they should all be done away with. This still would not stop carriers from supplementing these phones with the manufacturer if they wish to do so. None the less I still think AT&T is going to get Apple to extend their current exclusive agreement for how long is the question. If this doesn't happen I'll be shocked, but honestly feel the only thing that could possible stop it would be the FCC. Right now Apple knows consumers will hang with AT&T even if their network is crappy and they don't get stuff ready on time, but that money is just too sweet to pass up, along with everything else they agreed to that Apple wanted and Verizon evidently wouldn't agree too.

 

[Jon]

Like I've stated before I have no issues with the network. I don't get 3g in all places but I don't necessarily have to. I do wish they'd put more cell towers that can penetrate buildings but I've had that issue with all carriers. If the phone were a piece of crap I wouldn't bother sticking and would get a blackberry storm or something along those lines. I do think it would be beneficial for the iPhone to be available on as many networks as possible. But the number of iPhones sold up to this point shows that isn't an issue with most buyers. Most people around here praise verizon wireless for their coverage and reception, but when I bought my verizon phone the guy had to go OUTSIDE to get the thing activated. And I had trouble with reception, and dropped calls in places where I was getting 4 or 5 bars. If verizon were to somehow switch to a newer technology that I could get the coverage I'm getting now, and be able to use all the features the phone was meant to, then maybe, but then again, verizon would have to stop rendering the GPS in their devices useless.
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[DAB]

I think the bottom line is no carrier is ever going to be perfect in every area. In some areas Verizon is better, in some areas AT&T is better. However, with all that said having an iPhone or any phone where you don't have good coverage is a pretty moot point. When the iPhone was first released I got one and the coverage with AT&T was so bad there was no way I could live with it. I promptly returned it and shamed them so bad about their poor coverage they even waived the 10% restocking fee. 2 years later I gave them another try and the difference is daylight and dark. I also know in my area Verizon has never had service until they purchased Alltel and having known many folks with Alltel I know they have horrible rural coverage which is where I travel a great deal for my rural outpatient clinics. Right now for my location AT&T is the only carrier worth having for where I use my phone (this beyond my regional carrier Centennial which they are in the process of buying).

There are those that don't think the iPhone is a good phone, that it is a good gadget, but phone wise has poor reception and call quality. In fact I've been reading on some forums about folks doing test where the iPhone has been noted to be more of a problem than the network because two people side by side one with an iPhone, one with a Blackberry, one has good signal the other does not. I have personally not had reception issue with my iPhone. I know that AT&T doesn't have perfect coverage everywhere, but I've only experienced one drop call since June 19 and this while I was inside an elevator. Yet others say they drop 3 or 4 calls a day!

 

[mrpacs]

What I don't understand is that if AT&T is delaying the release of 3.1, then why hasn't Apple released 3.1 to all of the other iphone carriers?

 

[DAB]

What I don't understand is that if AT&T is delaying the release of 3.1, then why hasn't Apple released 3.1 to all of the other iphone carriers?

I don't know, but I don't think each carrier may necessarily have the exact same firmware or update. For example there are many carriers that already have MMS and Tethering, but AT&T does not. 3.1 for AT&T is suppose to bring at least MMS and from what I am reading some other improvements such as battery management, boot time etc. Since those other countries already have MMS and Tethering then they may not need a full 3.1 update like AT&T subscribers will. When 3.1 is released in other areas clearly it won't be the same.

 

[Evil_Ernie]

For example there are many carriers that already have MMS and Tethering, but AT&T does not.

Actually, AT&T does offer MMS and tethering and have had it for their other smartphones...it's just not available for iPhone users yet. In due time though...

 

[DAB]

Actually, AT&T does offer MMS and tethering and have had it for their other smartphones...it's just not available for iPhone users yet. In due time though...

Agreed, but in this thread we are specifically talking about the iPhone! Also lets not forget the reason AT&T didn't have MMS turned on for iPhone users is mainly because the iPhone itself didn't support this feature, so they just turned this off on all iPhone subscriber accounts. The issue as I understand it is having to go back and change this to active on all those iPhone subscriber accounts. They have made it sound really difficult, but it would seem to me they could run some sort of account script in their accounting program to turn this feature on, but maybe I don't realize how complicated their system really is. In one press release I read it made it sound like they were going to have to go into each persons account and update this. Well I have a new account just opened on June 19 and this feature is still not active even on new accounts at this point Seems sort of stupid to have added all those new account and still be doing the same stupid shit!

 

[mrpacs]

Actually, AT&T does offer MMS and tethering and have had it for their other smartphones...it's just not available for iPhone users yet. In due time though...

God point MM which makes me think that it is Apple NOT AT&T delaying the MMS. Not sure why everyone is so quick to blame AT&T.

 

[DAB]

God point MM which makes me think that it is Apple NOT AT&T delaying the MMS. Not sure why everyone is so quick to blame AT&T.

Right Apple made their big announcement and provided this ability to all those other carriers, but decided not to give this functionality to AT&T and AT&T made their announcement saying THEY were not ready, was just all made up! GET REAL HOMER! LOL