iCloud Was Storing Deleted Safari Browser History for Months, but Apple Fixed the Issue

When clearing Safari browser history, iPhone and iPad users expect all records to be permanently deleted from their devices, but it appears Apple's cross-device browser syncing feature caused iCloud to secretly store browsing history for a much longer period of time ranging from several months to over a year.

iCloud was caught storing deleted browser history by software company Elcomsoft, which develops cracking tools for extracting protected data from iOS devices. Speaking to Forbes, Elcomsoft CEO Vladimir Katalov explained that the company had been able to retrieve "deleted" browser history dating back more than a year.

elcomsoftdeletedbrowserhistory

Deleted browser history pulled from iCloud by Elcomsoft

Apple was keeping deleted browser information in a separate iCloud record called "tombstone," and in a press release announcing updated Phone Breaker software for extracting the stored browsing info, Elcomsoft explains that the data was likely kept as part of an iCloud feature that syncs browsing history across multiple devices and ensures it's deleted from all devices when history is cleared.

The point is that Apple keeps synced Safari browsing history in the cloud for much longer than one, three or four months - even for deleted entries. ElcomSoft researchers were able to access records that've been deleted more than a year ago, which means that deleted records are not actually cleaned up from iCloud.

Forbes tried using the Phone Breaker software created by Elcomsoft and was able to retrieve nearly 7,000 records dating back to November of 2015. Site names, URLs, Google searches, visit counts, and the date and time items were deleted were included. It's not clear why Apple was storing the information for so long, but it appears to have been an oversight related to ensuring information is deleted on all devices once cleared rather than intentional.

Shortly after Forbes and Elcomsoft published their iCloud findings, Elcomsoft noticed previously available records being deleted as part of a server-side fix quietly implemented by Apple. All deleted browser records older than two weeks have been eliminated. From Elcomsoft's blog:

Update: we have informed media about this issue in advance, and they reached Apple for comments. As far as we know, Apple has not responded, but started purging older history records. For what we know, they could be just moving them to other servers, making deleted records inaccessible from the outside; but we never know for sure. Either way, as of right now, for most iCloud accounts we can see history records for the last two weeks only (deleted records for those two weeks are still there though).

Good move, Apple. Still, we would like to get an explanation.

Even before Apple made the server-side fix to make sure deleted browsing history is permanently removed in a timely manner, it was difficult to get ahold of the information. Forensic software like Phone Breaker was required, which doesn't come cheap, and Phone Breaker only works with a user's Apple ID and password, or an authentication token pulled from a user's computer.

In iOS 9.3 and later (and Safari 9.1 and later), Apple also began turning URLs into unreadable hashes instead of plaintext when browser history is deleted, an additional security measure, but Forbes says that didn't stop Elcomsoft's tool from working with the newest versions of Safari.

While Apple now appears to be deleting browsing data at the two week mark (or has made it invisible to tools like Phone Breaker), iCloud users should be aware that their browsing history, including cleared browser history, is stored in iCloud for at least that two week period. Users who are not comfortable with that can easily disable syncing features through the iCloud section of the Settings app. Apple has not commented on Elcomsoft's finding or the apparent server-side fix.

Tag: iCloud

Top Rated Comments

AngerDanger Avatar
93 months ago
Apple was keeping deleted browser information in a separate iCloud recored called "tombstone,"
It's a shame they didn't give it some terribly creepy name… wait.

What's written on your tombstone tends to be whatever is most memorable about you, so the fact that Apple considers your internet history worthy of an epitaph is worrisome.



Attachment Image
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yaxomoxay Avatar
93 months ago
Glad they didn't tell my wife......
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Naraxus Avatar
93 months ago
So the line that Cook would always espouse about Apple caring about user privacy is exposed for bull that it always was.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
maflynn Avatar
93 months ago
What else are you looking for from them, though?
Too many companies seem to hide behind it was a bug excuse when they're caught hanging on to data they probably shouldn't have. For a company that seems to pride itself on privacy, this is rather disappointing.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iShatMyself Avatar
93 months ago
Glad I never used iCloud.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
slimothy Avatar
93 months ago
This is not good.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18: What to Expect From 'Biggest' Update in iPhone's History

Wednesday March 27, 2024 11:10 am PDT by
At least some Apple software engineers continue to believe that iOS 18 will be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Below, we recap rumored features and changes for the iPhone. "The iOS 18 update is expected to be the most ambitious overhaul of the iPhone's software in its history, according to people working on the upgrade," wrote Gurman, in a r...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...
General iOS 17 Feature Orange Purple

Apple Releases Revised Versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 With Updated Build Number

Wednesday March 27, 2024 5:59 am PDT by
Apple on late Tuesday released revised versions of iOS 17.4.1 and iPadOS 17.4.1 with an updated build number of 21E237, according to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The updates previously had a build number of 21E236. The revised updates are available for all iPhone and iPad models that are compatible with iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, but they can only be installed via the Finder app on macOS...
maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
applephilschiller

Apple's Phil Schiller Works 80 Hours a Week Overseeing App Store

Wednesday March 27, 2024 2:03 pm PDT by
With the App Store and app ecosystem undergoing major changes in the European Union, The Wall Street Journal today shared a profile on App Store chief Phil Schiller, who is responsible for the App Store. Though Schiller transitioned from marketing chief to "Apple Fellow" in 2020 to take a step back from Apple and spend more time on personal projects and friends, he is reportedly working...