Firewall iP 2.0 Released in Cydia, A Security Center for the iPhone

Privacy on the iPhone has always been an interesting topic. Especially in the jailbreak scene, security precautions are taken very seriously.
Firewall iP recently received a major update in the Cydia store, and it boasts robust security options for your iPhone’s network connections. While its features may seem daunting to those of us that aren’t security aficionados, it’s nice to see that there’s a full-featured security suite for jailbreak users…


Firewall iP’s official description:

“Firewall iP allows you to block outgoing connections (TCP & UDP). It hooks into applications and will warn you if the app wants to establish a connection to a host and shows you the hostname. Then you have the options to allow or deny the connection once/always or allow/deny all connections for the application. Port specific blocking is possible.
You can decide if the application will send data. Developers will no longer be able to collect stats and data about you (UDID, phone number, usage statistics…). With Firewall iP, you can cover all app analytic providers which aren’t in PrivaCy and also custom analytics.
Blocking of ads is also possible with this powerful tool. Now, you are the one who decides!”

Firewall iP’s features include:

• Block outgoing TCP & UDP connections selectively
• Shows you the hostname for the connection & can provide you with WhoIs information
• Block connections of apps when you are on a cellular network
• Block analytic providers / data collectors which PrivaCy can’t
• Block unneeded content (ads )
• Easy to use interface & control app

Firewall iP offers an editable whitelist/blacklist of hostnames to allow/deny outgoing connections. The ad blocking and analytic permissions are also nice features.
In case you didn’t know, your iPhone knows a lot about you. Developers can (and in most cases do) send your personal information from the apps you use to ad agencies for profit. If this “under the counter” transaction bothers you, Firewall iP offers more options than saurik’s PrivaCy tweak for managing these outgoing connections.
Just like Little Snitch on Mac OS X, Firewall iP has a pop-up permissions window for new, incoming connections. All permissions can be edited in the app’s main window under the “Allow” and “Deny” list.
Firewall iP is available for $3.99 in the Cydia store. The price may seem a little steep, but if you’re really into this security stuff, Firewall iP has a lot to offer.
Are you concerned with monitoring the outgoing connections on your iPhone? Some people (myself included) hold tight to the saying, “ignorance is bliss.”