Apple Inc.’s decision last week to bundle an iPhone-crippling firmware upgrade with 10 security patches for the device was a mistake, analysts said today. Thursday’s iPhone Update 1.1.1 not only added new features and functionality — including access to the iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store — but also plugged holes in the device’s built-in Safari browser, e-mail software and Bluetooth implementation.
But what caught the attention of security analysts was the news that the update "bricked," or disabled, iPhones that had been modified to work with networks other than AT&\1T’s, said Andrew Storms, director of security operations at nCircle Network Security Inc. "With the iPhone update, Apple is now producing a fear of taking their patches," Storms said. "If they release a functionality update and security fixes at the same time in the future, some users will think twice about applying it. They’ll ask themselves, ‘What will it break this time?’ and, ‘Will it backfire on me?’
iPhone users now fear security patches, say analysts