“A new patent application from Apple this morning reveals that they began working on new security features for “Find My iPhone” shortly after the first iteration was revealed back in 2009. The next generation security features are noted as being proactive in nature. The user will be able to preselect certain files to be protected in the event their device is lost or stolen and introduces ways of securely scrambling information instead of wiping it out to make retrieval easier,” Jack Purcher reports for Patently Apple.

“Apple’s patent application covers methods, program products, and systems for proactively securing mobile devices,” Purcher reports. “A mobile device could proactively determine whether the mobile device is associated with a security risk and the level of the security risk. Just as with Find My iPhone today, the user could remotely set a passcode lock and block an unauthorized user from activating the phone. What’s new here is that if multiple failed password setting attempts are detected, the mobile device could determine that the device is currently being operated by an unauthorized user, and could proactively increase a security level of the device.”

Much more in the full article, including Apple patent application illustrations, here.

[Attribution: 9to5Mac. Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Lynn Weiler” for the heads up.]