iPhone 2.0 data wipes

Wiping data off an iPhone should become more secure with the v2.0 firmware than in the current release, say sources using the most recent beta. Although both the v1.x and 2.0 releases present users with an "Erase All Contents and Settings" option, v1.x only performs a regular deletion; v2.0 should mimic the "Secure Empty Trash" option of Mac OS X, and delete files, unlink them, and overwrite the affected memory sectors several times. This comes with a time penalty however, as the whole process is said to last an hour.

The feature is likely a complement to Apple's announced remote wipe option, a part of Apple's efforts to make the phone more appealing to enterprise security interests. Corporations often require data on phones and other storage devices to be irretrievable before they are sold or otherwise disposed of.

by MacNN Staff