Encryption question

[dpeters11]

This I know goes back quite a bit, but hoping someone knows.

I know when the 3GS first came out, iOS didn't support encryption, which was added in iOS 4. I believe that if you upgraded from iOS 3 to 4, then it did not encrypt unless you restored back to the device.

My question is that was this changed at some point with a more recent update, or if not is it possible to see if encryption is enabled?

This comes up because we have a new mobile device policy requiring encryption and we still have a few users with 3GS's. I believe most are current, on iOS 6 but I don't know if all of them have had to be restored over time (or if they were purchased with iOS 4+ preinstalled.)

 

[Ledsteplin]

It is!
http://www.wired.com/2014/10/golden-key/

 

[dpeters11]

Ok. I thought I had seen things that said that a 3GS on iOS 3 that was upgraded to 4 didn't get encrypted. I'll see if I can spot check a few, looks like I can look for the Data protection is enabled text.

I found this that mentions this loophole and the determination:
Daily Tip: How to enable data protection on your iPhone, iPad | iMore

 

[Ledsteplin]

Ok. I thought I had seen things that said that a 3GS on iOS 3 that was upgraded to 4 didn't get encrypted. I'll see if I can spot check a few, looks like I can look for the Data protection is enabled text.

I found this that mentions this loophole and the determination:
Daily Tip: How to enable data protection on your iPhone, iPad | iMore

Are you using a 3gs?

 

[dpeters11]

I don't have an iPhone myself. Others in the company do, I'll need to look some of them up and see if they are encrypted or not as I don't think I can assume. My main reason for asking the question was to see if the loophole between ios 3 to 4 was changed in 5 or 6 where upgrading to those higher versions encrypted automatically or still required a restore.

 

[Ledsteplin]

I don't have an iPhone myself. Others in the company do, I'll need to look some of them up and see if they are encrypted or not as I don't think I can assume. My main reason for asking the question was to see if the loophole between ios 3 to 4 was changed in 5 or 6 where upgrading to those higher versions encrypted automatically or still required a restore.

Very few still use the 3gs. Not that many use the 4. If your coworkers are on iOS 8, they should be ok. It's at iOS 8.3.

 

[dpeters11]

Agreed, but I know for a fact some here are still on the 3GS, though I think it's certainly a small number. I'm waiting on a new report from the Exchange admin to look up the specific users.

 

[Ledsteplin]

Agreed, but I know for a fact some here are still on the 3GS, though I think it's certainly a small number. I'm waiting on a new report from the Exchange admin to look up the specific users.

If any are on a 3GS, they should upgrade. There's hardly any apps left that work on it. Some here do have one. But it's mostly a collection thing. They need at least the iPhone 4s to have all the encryption.