KDBDallas

Update: YouTube took down the video claiming Copyright infrigment (even though it was a 3min clip). Search YouTube for “Simpsons Mapple” and I am sure you will find others.

With the latest iPhone firmware update (2.2), Apple fixed several “security holes”, one of which broke KillExchangeLocks version 2.0.

The fix that broke things was CVE-ID: CVE-2008-4229

Impact: Restoring a device from backup may not re-enable the Passcode Lock

Description: The Passcode Lock feature is designed to prevent applications from being launched unless the correct passcode is entered. A race condition in the handling of device settings may cause the Passcode Lock to be removed when the device is restored from backup. This may allow a person with physical access to the device to launch applications without the passcode. This update addresses the issue by improving the system’s ability to recognize missing preferences. This issue does not affect systems prior to iPhone OS 2.0 or iPhone OS for iPod touch 2.0. Credit to Nolen Scaife for reporting this issue.

http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2008/Nov/msg00002.html

The key parts here is the resoultion, “This update addresses the issue by improving the system’s ability to recognize missing preferences”, and the person to blame is Nolen Scaife for reporting this issue.

KillExchangeLocks version 3 does not implement the ideal solution as Apple has done a pretty good job on their fix. Instead of removing the passcode automatically like before, instead you now force the settings app to alow you to remove the passcode, as if you had setup a passcode without using Exchange.

This still times out every 24 hours like before, as Apple is actively querying the Exchange server every 24 hours to update and/or validate the security settings.

The up side is you should only have to run this part once, and you will always be able to remove the passcode.

Version 3 gives you the option if you want to modify your Auto Lock timeout.

The problem here is that the iPhone will over write any change if you go into the Settings app and click on the General tab (which shows your timeout setting).

Therefore this could need to be reset often, if you go into Settings -> General a lot.

I added some extra Time out levels for your convience.

You can now choose between: Never, 1 min, 2 min, 3 min, 4 min, 5 min, 10 min, 15 min, 20 min, 25 min, 30 min, 35 min, 40 min, 45 min, 50 min, 55 min, and 1 hour time out levels.

As I said before, this is by no means the ideal fix, but it is the only way I have found so far, and I figure this is better then having nothing.

If you really want a better fix in place, I would ask you to think about donating to this project as that would make it easier for me to work on this project then other paying projects. It is in no way required, but welcomed. If you wish to donate you can do so using PayPal.

KillExchangeLocks is available in Cydia under Utilities.

I saw this in MacWorld and if you saw my post when I got my Mac Pro you will know that I think is SO true.

The Mac Pro is so sexy inside, unlike all other computers I have made or owned.

Just found this email in my inbox and I found it humorus so I thought I would share.

(Click to enlarge)

They always say that admitting there is a problem is the first step.

I entered this relationship with my iPhone 3G after Steve Jobs introduced us. Steve promised me that it was the right idea to breakup with iPhone 2G and join the big boys with iPhone 3G.

At first it was all good. That sexy body, 3G, GPS, double the disk space, a flush headphone jack, and that new 2.0 firmware, and Steve had assured me that the SDK would fulfill all my “needs”.

If only our relationship had stayed that way.

Instead, iPhone 3G started to change.

We will be talking and she will just go blank and leave me there alone.

She teased me into Exchange support for my work email, but then behind my back turned off my never-auto-lock, and put a key code on the front door and wont let me remove it.

And as for keeping me fulfilled… It’s more like unfulfilled….

Steve told me I would have the same API’s that they have, but that was a bold faced lie. Instead iPhone 3G’s SDK is a tease. She shows off all the things that she can do when you hang out with her, but then when you try and get some of that sweet loving she yells at you and tells you, “That’s only for Apple.”

I feel so betrayed and hurt…

Then I heard Pwnage was being released and I thought I would at least get to see a little of my old iPhone in Miss 3G….

Once again she turned out to be a big tease!

This time she is playing the give a little, but withhold the real goods.

She gave me back my SSH access, but changed around all her frameworks so none of my old code will work.

Then she teases me into working with the new toolchain, by saying that with just some little changes I can still use that code. So I gave into my geek needs and started making those “small changes”. She forgot to tell me that a lot of those small changes would be small if we had documentation but instead I get to play a searching game to try and figure out all the unknown changes that cause my code not break.

So after a night of fighting, we had just about made up and decided we needed some sleep. Then today she decided to leave me. She locked up and refused to boot.

I finally talked her into unlocking, but then she told me she needed to “sync”. Funny how she forgot to mention that this sync would take 2 hours.

Then after work she “we” decided it was time to try and finish making those “small” changes. Well this just lead to ANOTHER all night fight. Finally I thought we had made up and she compiled my code without errors. I was so happy, but I guess its fun to watch me suffer, so when I tried and run the code, she left me again and locked up.

We are trying to make up again, but once again she needed her “sync” time. She has been gone for about a half hour, and I am thinking I shouldn’t expect her until morning.

I am sure you can agree that this is a pretty abusive relationship I am in. (usually it is the guy that is abusive, but not in this relationship)

I am thinking we need couples counseling.

I think it might be best if we get Steve to come to a couple of the sessions.

Only problem is I don’t see a section on Apple’s site for counseling sessions at the Apple stores.

Maybe I am forced to be abused…

Hopefully Steve will have a talk with her and give her some relationships tips in firmware 2.1. However I don’t think Steve is willing to talk to her about putting out in the SDK bed, so I might be forced to keep working with her in that area. Hopefully someone can come out with a relationship documentation or something….

If you are in the Phoenix area and want to put together a support group, let me know.

I just learned that come Friday AT&T will have a GREAT new phone for sell, and it’s not the iPhone!

“AT&T’s Centro lineup adds a dazzling new color – electric blue – to join glacier white and obsidian black. This exclusive new Centro color will be available starting this Friday in AT&T retail stores”

It is also supposed to have an amazing web browser.

Check this out

Now isn’t that amazing!?!?

Come Friday this new wonderful phone comes out, as well as the iPhone, both at AT&T.

Look at that image above and then look at the image below, I think the choice is easy.

So come Friday forget all this iPhone hype!

Who needs a full browser anyways….

Who needs a phone that looks sexy when you can have a non-sexy BLUE phone.

Plus if you buy an iPhone you will just get a headache from trying to choose from all the new sexy looking programs and 3D games to choose from, and who want’s a headache?

http://blog.palm.com/palm/2008/07/a-new-blue-for.html

Makes me all warm and fuzzy while I am giggling like a school girl

My new computer came yesterday!

I got me a new Mac Pro!

I love it!

Here are the specs for those interested.

2 x 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon

6GB 10GB RAM

1TB 2TB Hard Drive

NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT 512MB

2 x 24″ Widescreen Displays

I was going to have 8 GB of RAM but I didn’t know that the Mac Pros needs it’s RAM in pairs (reminds me of the 90’s). So right now I have 6 GB in, and I need to buy another 2 GB chip, and then I will have 10 GB of RAM. (I can’t let that extra 2 GB go to waste)