UPDATED 12:32 EDT / FEBRUARY 15 2013

BYOD Nightmare, iOS 6.1 Update Causing Even More Problems – Breaking Analysis

 

As you may recall, we at SiliconANGLE have been following the iOS 6.1 update problem since the news broke, and now it appears that there may be yet another bug in the already issue-ridden update.

“This vulnerability…allows you to bypass the code locks,” commented John Casaretto on this morning’s edition of NewsDesk with Kristin Feledy, “pretty much anyone can do it…and once you get in, basically you have access to everything that’s on that phone as far as contacts, voicemails, photos.” Casaretto added, “It’s a pretty significant vulnerability.”

Obviously this latest breach in security is a massive issue, and given the troubles the iOS 6.1 update already has, there’s been a growing concern as to whether or not people should be updating their iPhones at all.

In the world of BYOD-style enterprise, we’re seeing a growing number of companies issuing policies instructing employees not to update their phones, and this sort of reaction-based policy making isn’t going to be too popular in the future, especially considering that many devices, and particularly the iPhone, have no way to roll back updates to a prior version. Effectively, this nightmare of an update may very well spell the end for companies staying on top of updates – opening up the door for even more problems, such as 0-day exploits, which would take advantage of users who desperately need to update their phones.

Apple hasn’t given any timetable as far as any fixes go, but they have stated that they are aware of the issues and are working toward fixing them at a later time.

The question going forward is this: What is Apple going to do to stop this from happening again? Casaretto made an interesting point regarding Apple’s history with respect to future updates, “I think that a lot may have to do with their ultra-top-secret developement.” He added, “I think they’re going to face challenges trying to maintain that and still trying to get a very thorough, valid, real-world test.”

In addition to trying to resolve the latest iOS update travesty, Apple has recently paired up with Staples to start distributing their products in stores. Casaretto called it “A deal like no other” and it genuinely is, as it’s effectively a move by Apple to jump from a strictly consumer-centric business model into the enterprise and corporate markets, and as Casaretto pointed out, “it’s great way to do it.”

There’s no word yet as to when they will actually follow through with this, but one thing is certain: If Apple wants to legitimately contend in the enterprise market, they will need to change how they go about announcing, testing, and releasing their updates, as businesses cannot stand the uncertainty that all this “ultra-top-secret” behavior from Apple.

For more analysis on iOS 6.1′s developing news, you can watch our contributing editor John Casaretto, who appeared on this morning’s NewsDesk show with Kristin Feledy.

photo credit: blakespot via photopin cc
 

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