When it comes to protecting your data on your iPhone or iPod touch, many people assume that the iPhone’s built-in password protection feature is good enough. This week, however, a gaping security hole was discovered in the iPhone 2.0 operating system that can easily allow outsiders to bypass the Passcode Lock feature and access your private information with just a few button taps. Apple quickly responded by issuing a statement that they will be working quickly to get a patch out to the devices soon.
This is all fine and dandy, and we’re sure Apple will get that patch to us in haste, but what if this happens again? This flimsy 4-digit security control has been one of the main reasons companies have shunned support for the iPhone because it fails to adequately secure corporate information. Here at Touchtip we use the incredible 1Password desktop application which syncs our passwords to our iPhones and iPod touches. 1Password is currently Mac only, and we have yet to discover an equivalent tool for PC, but 1Password has also just released a standalone app for iPhone and iPod touch, available free for a limited time from the App Store.
The 1Password native app is an early release that has only the core features of its desktop parent application. It will allow you to save web site log in information so you don’t have to tap those usernames and passwords every single time you access a secure web site from your iPhone or iPod touch. It provides ample security of the data on your device by locking everything with a master password along with a 4-digit code, both of which are configurable. And all the password information is synced to your Mac running the 1Password desktop app.
To the uninitiated, let use begin by saying that if you have a Mac and an iPhone or iPod touch, plunk down the $34.95 for the 1Password desktop Mac client. You will not be sorry. It’s one of those apps you don’t really need to think about using, it stays in the background, collecting your usernames and passwords as you use them. Once a pass code is collected by 1Password, you’ll never have to remember it again because 1Password will automatically log in for you next time you try to access your secure data. And all of your pass codes in 1Password are protected by a single, master password that you control.
One of the benefits of using 1Password is that you can use its strong password generation feature if you wish. This will create a super strong password for any web site you use. We’re talking about alphanumeric strings of 200 plus random characters, impossible for a normal human to recall, let alone have to type into a password field. 1Password can create these and enter them into your sign in forms for you, automatically. Of course, you don’t have to use this option if you want to define your own passwords. 1Password will handle either one.
1Password also offers anti-phishing technology that is built right into the application. This will prevent you from entering your password into a web site that appears to be PayPal, for instance, but is actually a phishing scam to capture your account information. With 1Password you also get protection from keyloggers, automatic filling of web forms, and synchronization of password information with other computers including iPhone and iPod touch.
Using 1Password’s iPhone sync is a dream for us. Whenever we need to access a private online account, such as our online banking site, we don’t need to recall the correct password or spend time trying to tap it in. We enter the master passcode for 1Password one time and it will auto enter data whenever we need it to.
This is great on our iPhones and Macs, but what about that PC at the office? The folks over at Bylr.net have posted an excellent step-by-step tutorial showing you how to export your 1Password data and access it securely using Firefox on a PC. We won’t even attempt to summarize this process, but it doesn’t take long to set up so if you are interested, then you should read the tutorial.
As we said before, we really don’t know of an equivalent application for the PC that works with iPhone or iPod touch. If you can recommend something for our readers, please let us know. Until then, iPhone users with PCs can try the free app from 1Password, but will not be able to sync passwords between the PC and the iPhone like current users of the 1Password desktop client for Mac.
- 1Password iPhone App - Free! Also works with iPod touch
- 1Password for Mac - Syncs with iPhone & iPod touch
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