Apple may be looking to address complaints about mediocre security efforts for the iPhone, a new job listing suggests. The company has posted an opening for an iPhone Security Engineer, to be based at the company's headquarters in Cupertino. The position calls for someone to "validate the security architecture for the iPhone," and produce a "major impact on Apple's embedded operating system products."

Specific tasks involve risk analysis for security threats, producing original proof-of-concept attacks, and devising new ways to boost security without complicating the iPhone interface. Some of these efforts and technologies are expected to be "cross-functional," likely referring to support for the iPod touch.

The iPhone has come under criticism for a number of security problems, most recently issues with URL spoofing, which can expose owners to identity theft while still claiming that they are secure.