Long Term Storage

Back on the 7th it was being reported that a secret URL can be used by Apple to disable apps on iPhone.  Today it was confirmed by Job’s that the Kill Switch does indeed exist.

I posted a nice comment over on Wired’s article about this.
As the old proverb goes.. “The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.” Sure, Apple could have all of the best intentions to “only” use the switch when there is a ‘bad’ app out there. But as it has already been proven, Apple has not been very clear on what it defines as “bad”. Take a look a the I Am Rich app. It did nothing malicious, but Apple didn’t like it so they yanked it.

What about jailbreaking? Will it allow them to kill apps that were installed after the phone has been jailbroke?

Take it a simple step further, what else can they do with this ‘kill switch’? Is it limited to killing 3rd party applications or can it also kill your phone? What about look through your contacts, email and private content?  Is there a limit to its functionality?

Historically speaking, very few companies can be trusted to do what is right instead of what will strengthen their bottom line. Apple is NO different.

By simply allowing this kind of functionality, Apple is opening themselves up to scrutiny, risk, and a HUGE PR problem.

And finally, the biggest reason why this is not and never will be a good idea. EVERY piece of DRM, and don’t be fooled, that is exactly what this is, has been cracked. What kind of controls does Apple have in place to keep this kill switch locked down? How long till Joe Hacker down the street finds it and starts abusing it? If Apple’s response to the DNS vulnerability is any indication, which is has been shown, of their corporate position on security and ability to manage risks, then I would be VERY afraid of the chances it gets released into the wild. It is not a matter of IF, it is only a matter of when. Also, again given their response to the DNS vulnerability, who is to say that this function is not bug free? What if some glitch in the function causes any of the previously mentioned?

This is no different than the police having a kill switch for your car or Microsofts newest Digital Manners Management scheme. The bottom line is, who gets to make the decision and how long till it is out in the wild?