"Find" feature hidden friend invitation? Apple should thoroughly investigate user privacy protection loopholes

 

Original title: Comments | "Find" function hidden friend invitation Apple should thoroughly investigate user privacy protection loopholes

 

　　Ms. Zhao, an Apple mobile phone user, recently reported that she often received harassing messages from the "Find" function, the content was unsightly, involving pornography and other aspects. After Ms. Zhao clicked it, she found that there was a button "Allow friend invitation" hidden in the search function, and it was turned on by default. The media survey found that many netizens have encountered similar situations. In addition to "find", there are similar harassing information in iMessage, calendar, photo album, family and other functions.

 

　　In response, Apple's customer service responded that the system currently does not monitor the content sent by this function, and users can only turn off related functions to solve the problem. Industry experts said that the black production of Apple IDs has become a "big business". Every year in China, a huge number of Apple IDs are obtained by hackers, and then sold on the black market to various downstream companies, who squeeze each Apple ID one after another. of all economic value. Pushing illegal prostitute advertisements through hacked Apple IDs is already the last link in this game. He also pointed out that this problem needs the assistance of the manufacturer Apple to solve it, and Apple should cooperate with the governance projects of relevant departments to crack down on black and gray gangs involved in such cases.

 

　　When it comes to Apple mobile phones, the first reaction of many users is that compared with the open Android system, the Apple IOS system is a closed system and its security is higher. In recent years, Apple has also successively launched many new functions based on user privacy and security. For example, starting from iOS 6, Apple has completely prohibited APPs from obtaining the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identification Code, which allows professionals to master a mobile phone based on the IMEI code). In 2021, Apple will release the "App Tracking Transparency" feature, which allows users to choose whether to allow apps to track their activities on other apps and websites, so as to avoid the appearance of various information without their knowledge. The situation obtained by the APP.

 

　　However, Apple, with so many glitzy protections on user privacy, doesn't seem to be as flawless as it claims to be. Judging from the response of Apple's customer service staff, the reason why Ms. Zhao and other users were harassed by information such as pornography was that the Apple ID was leaked. For Apple, if the Apple ID leakage factors are more complicated, there may be cases such as accidental leakage by users. Apple cannot achieve zero ID leakage in advance, but it should also take other safeguard measures, such as referring to mobile phone security management, users can be harassed. Information and account numbers are marked and the interception function is activated, but Apple does not currently provide this service.

 

　　Judging from Apple's response, if Ms. Zhao wants to avoid the harassing information pushed by the "Find" function, she can only choose to completely turn off this information sharing function. However, this makes it impossible for users to interact and share with friends through the "Find" function. That is to say, for users, the "find" function of Apple's mobile phone is either turned on while enduring the risk of information harassment and even privacy leakage, or abandons the function, which is obviously not the best way to protect the rights and interests of users.

 

　　No technology application can be 100% safe, and criminals are doing everything possible to crack the security management system of various enterprises. This is a challenge faced by the government, enterprises and the public in the era of mobile Internet. However, as a TOP-level mobile phone manufacturer in the world, Apple should provide users with continuously optimized solutions for the problem of hidden "friend invitation" in the "find" function, such as providing users with a reporting function. Once users report and receive such information, Apple immediately investigates the account that sent such information, and if the situation is true, it will block the information to prevent more users from being victimized by it. Since Apple can develop so many new features for user privacy protection, it should not do nothing about the security bugs in functions such as "find".

 

　　In addition, Apple should take this as a lesson, and thoroughly investigate whether there are security "secret doors" in other functions as soon as possible, so as to give users more comprehensive protection. This is a company's responsible attitude towards users, and it is also related to Apple's long-term reputation maintain.

source: china news

source: https://www.sina.com.cn/