Apple has explored ways to make mobile device security more adaptive by using a device’s location and surrounding environment to determine the appropriate level of protection. A patent application for Apple location-based security describes a system that could automatically adjust security settings depending on whether a user is in a location considered safe or potentially risky. The approach could use GPS, network availability, nearby devices, and other contextual information to determine the appropriate security profile.
Such technology could reduce unnecessary friction without sacrificing security. An iPhone used at home, for example, might require authentication less frequently, while the same device could automatically apply stricter controls in an unfamiliar location. The challenge will be translating these capabilities into an experience that remains simple for consumers. Requiring users to manually configure numerous locations and security levels could quickly undermine the convenience that adaptive security is intended to provide.
The Apple Insider reports that Apple has applied for two patents recently, one for context sensitiveprivacy and one that adjusts display settings based on amount and direction ofambient light sources. The contextsensitive privacy option is interesting:
“Thesecond, called “Location-sensitive security levels and setting profilesbased on detected location,” would adjust device security settings basedon the current “location context.” Apple envisions that the contextcould be determined by network availability, the identification of a specificdevice available on a network, GPS location, or a combination of those andother factors.
Locationscould be deemed “safe” or “unsafe,” and settings adjustedaccordingly. A user’s home could be marked as a “safe” location andPIN code relock time lengthened to reduce the number of times a user mustauthenticate in that place. “Unsafe” locations would lengthen thattime, for exmaple.
Apple has been seen exploring similar systems in the past. While the basic conceptremains the same, the methods of determining device location differ.”
Setting multiple security levels for multiple locations willalmost certainly overwhelm most consumers so a simplified approach will need tobe identified.
Apple location-based security could provide a more flexible approach to protecting mobile devices by allowing security requirements to change according to context. Rather than applying the same authentication rules everywhere, devices could potentially balance convenience and security based on the user’s surroundings and perceived level of risk.
The ultimate success of such a system, however, would depend heavily on usability. Consumers are unlikely to embrace complicated security configurations involving numerous locations and settings. If Apple can automate much of the decision-making while maintaining strong protections, context-aware security could offer a more seamless way to safeguard increasingly important mobile devices and the sensitive information they contain.
Overview by Tim Sloane, VP, Payments Innovation for Mercator Advisory Group
Read full story at Apple Insider
