Mail protection against theft

[Trolle]

I have a colleague who had her iPhone stole…while listening to music. Basically, crowded public transit and packed like sardines, and someone stole the phone from the pocket.

This got me to thinking about all the potential areas of one's life a thief could potentially access. I use 1Password to check all sites that I can, such as FB, and don't have any apps that sign in automatically to anything. However, I realized that Mail does not have a password feature. So, if someone were able to get "into" the phone they could access all my email.

Is anyone using a solution that bypasses this dilemma?

 

[chscag]

I'm not sure what you mean by "Mail does not have a password feature"? It does on all my devices. Are you saying that your ISP allows you to access its mail server without using a password?

 

[rainbowcat]

If you use the same password for everything (if I'm understanding you correctly) you're going to have many more problems than someone hacking into your email. Write your passwords down on paper, and use Random Password Generator!

Mail on my iPhone doesn't require a password either; once I use my passcode on my iPhone my mail is available. Is there a solution to that?

 

[Slydude]

I'm not sure what you mean by "Mail does not have a password feature"? It does on all my devices. Are you saying that your ISP allows you to access its mail server without using a password?

I think what's meant here is that the passwords are generally sorted on the device (the way most people have things configured). That means that anyone who has access to the device could access the user's Mail.

 

[Trolle]

What I mean is that the Mail app on my iPhone/iPad/MBP does not require a password to open. It just opens with a click and anyone has access to all my mail and the accounts linked to it, e.g. my iCloud account, Gmail account, and so on.

If you use the same password for everything (if I'm understanding you correctly)

I am using the password manager program, 1Password, which allows me to store all my passwords and generate random password for all sites. So, I don't have a single password for anything; they are all randomly generated and unique.

My question was directed at the Mail app on my i-devices. If there is a solution to adding an additional level of security that Apple does not offer directly in the Mail app.

 

[McBie]

Just make sure that a password is required before people can access the apps ( like mail.app )
Honestly, I don't see what the problem is.
On PCs you have logon passwords and on smartphones you have pin codes and on others you have fingerprint biometrics.
Unless you willingly choose to bypass all of these controls.

Cheers ... McBie

 

[chscag]

What I mean is that the Mail app on my iPhone/iPad/MBP does not require a password to open. It just opens with a click and anyone has access to all my mail and the accounts linked to it, e.g. my iCloud account, Gmail account, and so on.

That assumes you let someone else use your iPhone after you have already signed on to it using your Pin number or fingerprint recognition. You do have security access setup to your iPhone and iPad, right?

 

[Rod]

So to sum up what the original op said was that a friends iPhone was stolen while listening to music. So the music app was on but after the set time period the phone returns to the lock screen, giving access to music controls but not to the rest of the apps. So where is the problem unless there is no pass code lock?
Yes email passwords are stored on the phone, surely no one would suggest logging out of each email account before closing mail.
Perhaps what is being suggested is an email client for iPhone with a single password like VL Player which stores and plays video. As an additional security feature it's not a ridiculous idea but I know of no such app.
Apple relies on a system wide passcode giving access to everything but if people are really worried "Simple Password" can be turned off in preferences and replaced with a much more complex key code.
Not for me I'm afraid, I'd rather rely on find my iPhone lock and or delete contents.