Two security researchers have uncovered a startling find: that the Apple iPhone secretly keeps track of wherever a user goes, and saves the data to a file which then gets uploaded to the user’s computer when the smartphone is synced.

Pete Warden and Alasdair Allen developed an application, which they have made available for free download, that proved this. The files that the smartphone saves includes latitude and longitude of the phone’s coordinates, along with a timestamp.

“As far as we can tell, the location is determined by triangulating against the nearest cellphone towers,” the researchers wrote on their website. “This isn’t as accurate as GPS, but presumably takes less power.”

The researchers had stumbled onto the secret file while they were collaborating on several location data visualization projects. “At first we weren’t sure how much data was there, but after we dug further and visualized the extracted data, it became clear that there was a scary amount of detail on our movements,” they said.

Both Allen and Warden claim they do not know why Apple is collecting the information, but that all the data “stays on your machine”.

“Apple has made it possible for almost anybody—a jealous spouse, a private detective—with access to your phone or computer to get detailed information about where you’ve been,” Warden told the Guardian.

[via Guardian]


Want to see what 24 hours of creative awesomeness look like? Click here.



This news message is supported by The Creative Finder, an online platform for photographers, illustrators, designers, and art directors to promote their portfolios towards new clients and collaborators. Creatives who wish to sign up for an account can save 10% off annual fees with promo code 'designtaxi'.