Citi rectifies iPhone data issue
(29 July 2010−USA) Citigroup has said it has fixed a glitch that saw the bank’s mobile banking software for Apple’s iPhone improperly store some users’ sensitive data in hidden files.
The bank’s spokesperson told Reuters that its US Citi Mobile iPhone banking program may have saved account information on customers' personal computers that had their iPhones hooked to them, as well as storing the data on the phone.
Citi has now advised its customers to install an upgraded version of the app, which deletes any previously stored information on the users’ PC or iPhone.
The bank has no reason to believe that any of its customers' personal information has been accessed or used inappropriately by anyone, the bank’s spokesperson said in a statement.
John Hering, chief executive officer of Lookout, a smartphone security company, said that applications that handle sensitive data should not be designed to save information to public logs on smart phones.
The data could potentially be accessed using malicious software programs installed by hackers, Mr Hering noted.
The security firm’s CEO also added that the lender had been swift to remedy the situation before hackers had an opportunity to attack its customers.
Citi has now advised its customers to install an upgraded version of the app, which deletes any previously stored information on the users’ PC or iPhone.
The bank has no reason to believe that any of its customers' personal information has been accessed or used inappropriately by anyone, the bank’s spokesperson said in a statement.
John Hering, chief executive officer of Lookout, a smartphone security company, said that applications that handle sensitive data should not be designed to save information to public logs on smart phones.
The data could potentially be accessed using malicious software programs installed by hackers, Mr Hering noted.
The security firm’s CEO also added that the lender had been swift to remedy the situation before hackers had an opportunity to attack its customers.
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