New Scientist uncovers a clever new Apple patent for enhancing security of portable devices. A memory chip is implanted inside a device’s AC adapter that stores a security question or an encryption key for the password required to log into the device. In the event that you forget your password, recovery is possible simply by clicking an option to recover it while the device’s adapter is plugged in.
Supposedly, most users of portable devices, such as cellphones or iPads, leave their power adapters at home, preventing a thief from easily accessing the device. The patent’s author points out that while this won’t help in situations where both the device and its charger are stolen, anything is better than users neglecting to use a password or selecting one that’s easy to guess out of fear of forgetting it. Implementation doesn’t necessarily have to end with the power adapter either. Password recovery data could be stored in a device much more likely to always remain at home, such as a wireless router. Perhaps, it could even be split up between two or more such devices, so all must be present to perform the automatic password recovery.
I know I’d make use of something like this, but would like to see it go a step further. I’d like to see whole disk encryption (such as TrueCrypt) that’s completely seamless and invisible to the user, coupled with this password recovery arrangement. If someone gets hold of my smartphone containing personal and corporate emails, contacts and my apps (such as My OnStar, which lets me remote start my car’s engine or lock/unlock its doors), I want to make sure they have no way to view or use any of it. Guess my password wrong more than two times and it’s all locked down and encrypted, unless it’s reconnected to my network at home where two or three devices will work in tandem to allow a password reset on it.
Hmm, where’s that patent application?
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