Is voice dialing a security issue?
One of our readers has pointed out that even if you use a password lock on the new iPhone 3G S the voice dialing functions still work.It's true. With the phone locked down you can still hold down the home key, and voice dial someone in your contacts list. Some will consider this a feature, and others a bug. If I wanted to make a quick call, it seems it would be nice to bypass the log in. If a thief had your iPhone, he'd have to know the name of someone in your contacts to call them, or just try a lot of guesses.
Then there is the matter of why a criminal would want to call someone on your contact list. "Hi Bob, I just stole this iPhone. Pretty neat, huh?"
If this issue does bother you, Apple has thoughtfully given you the ability to turn voice dialing off, and when you try it with the phone locked the computer voice dutifully warns you that voice dialing is non-functional.
You can't, by the way, turn off iPod voice control. So anyone could pick up your locked iPhone and say "play songs by Tiny Tim", wearing down your battery and offending everyone around them.
Thanks to Mike for pointing this out, but I don't think it's a big issue. Have I missed something? Weigh in with your thoughts.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
aaron said 1:41PM on 6-22-2009
The voice features are hardly reliable anyways, at least that's my opinion.
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codedigital said 7:55AM on 6-23-2009
Mine works great. I haven't had it mess up once.
Johnny said 3:39PM on 6-22-2009
It works better than any type of voice recognition I've ever used. Just curious: Do you have a heavy, non-American accent?
aaron said 3:43PM on 6-22-2009
Not at all... Born and raised in the US.
LD said 1:44PM on 6-22-2009
You can tell iPhone a number to dial instead of a contact. Some might consider that a security problem.
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Mel Martin said 2:06PM on 6-22-2009
But you can turn it OFF. (As pointed out in the post) Then no one can use it if phone is locked.
Mel
LD said 2:12PM on 6-22-2009
Your logic is flawed. The question was "is voice dialing a security issue?"
If you turn off voice dialing, as you suggest, then the question is moot. No voice dailing = no concern over possible voice dialing security issues.
However, if you have voice dialing on, are there security issues? Potentially yes, if one considers being able to dial a number a security issue.
Your logic is like saying, "Is skydiving dangerous?" Then answering with, "not if you don't skydive."
speedracceerr said 10:17AM on 6-23-2009
@Mel Martin:
If you can turn it off, then it's not a security issue.
LD is referencing this part of the article:
"Then there is the matter of why a criminal would want to call someone on your contact list. "Hi Bob, I just stole this iPhone. Pretty neat, huh?""
A "criminal" wouldn't want to call someone on your contact list. He or she's want to call one of those out-of-country numbers that look like domestic numbers that charge you an arm and a leg.
sean said 1:49PM on 6-22-2009
this is the best part! i was hoping it would work just like this. saves me taking my gloves off in the cold boston winters just to dial a phone number.
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Ratking said 1:54PM on 6-22-2009
Can you access webpages, etc? You can get to contacts when on the phone, or conference more people in.
This seems to be going back to the issue as the Emergency Call issue from 2.0.2?
http://www.tuaw.com/2008/08/27/iphone-2-0-2-security-flaw-makes-private-data-accessible/
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Darrin said 1:57PM on 6-22-2009
Love it. Leave it the way it is and then passcode lock find my iPhone. I would like to see this feature anyway.
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Andrew Wickham said 2:04PM on 6-22-2009
I think this is a security issue. Social engineering has become a huge threat over the past several years. What were to happen if someone stole the phone, opened the voice dial, and said "call mom." They then proceded to tell your mother that they are with her son at the hospital and needed some information so they would admit him to the hospital (i.e. social security number, address, phone number, etc.).
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Bob Patin said 3:13PM on 6-22-2009
You're kidding, right?
So this Bond-esque thief is going to think to call someone's mother and somehow convince her to give up crucial info?
Farfetched to the extreme.
I agree with the poster who said that if it's disabled it's not an issue. This is the same as using/not using password-protection. If you say that there is a security issue when password protection is disabled, I would agree; however, since you have the ability to turn it on if you wish, I fail to see the issue. The converse is true with voice dialing.
If you are someone who wears a belt with your suspenders, then by all means, leave voice-dialing disabled.
milkmage said 10:20PM on 6-22-2009
"admit him to the hospital"
..in a TRUE emergency situation (when the patient is incapacitated or needs emergency lifesaving surgery or whatver) the EMTs/hospital better do the paperwork AFTER they stabilize me. "admit" to a hospital is usually for something thats planned, or non-life threatening. if you're so messed up you can't talk and get yourself admitted, i'd call that an emergency. i cut my had really bad once (severed nerves and veins on the back of my hand) I was able to get myself to the hospital, and as in no immediate danger. they didn't even ask my name until the stiches were in. it was a private hospital, too.
hospitals should not deny emergency medical care because they don't have your SSN. your point is moot because it shouldn't come up.
Zach said 2:05PM on 6-22-2009
Does it recognize numbers any better than it recognizes voices?
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Dhave said 2:05PM on 6-22-2009
Calling Barrack Obama...
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Will said 2:29PM on 6-22-2009
I only use a pass code because my company makes me the fact that I can get around it when I need to make a cal is fricken awsome!
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jimthedj said 4:02PM on 6-22-2009
If you dont want to use voice dialing becasue you REALLY THINK someone is going steal your phone, know names in your contacts, and dial them using voice dialing ....... AND for a purpose that would udermind your job or personal life.... you have bigger issues. Turn it off.
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Jesse David Hollington said 3:09PM on 6-22-2009
As others have pointed out, having the option to turn off the voice dialing eliminates that as a security issue for those who are concerned.
Therefore, the only remaining concern would be whether allowing somebody to listen to your iPod content would be a security concern... I guess that depends largely on your musical taste....
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SpinThis! said 6:50PM on 6-22-2009
Yeh I don't see how this is any different on any other phone.
So to make this secure, you're going to enter a passcode every time you want to voice dial someone? Sounds like that would get old really quick.