Security

HealthKit overview

HealthKit stores and aggregates data from health and fitness apps and healthcare institutions. HealthKit also works directly with health and fitness devices, such as compatible Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) heart rate monitors and the motion coprocessor built into many iOS devices. All HealthKit interaction with health and fitness apps, healthcare institutions, and health and fitness devices require permission of the user. This data is stored in Data Protection class Protected Unless Open. Access to the data is relinquished 10 minutes after the device locks, and data becomes accessible the next time user enters their passcode or uses Touch ID or Face ID to unlock the device.

HealthKit also aggregates management data, such as access permissions for apps, names of devices connected to HealthKit, and scheduling information used to launch apps when new data is available. This data is stored in Data Protection class Protected Until First User Authentication. Temporary journal files store health records that are generated when the device is locked, such as when the user is exercising. These are stored in Data Protection class Protected Unless Open. When the device is unlocked, the temporary journal files are imported into the primary health databases, then deleted when the merge is completed.

Health data can be stored in iCloud. End-to-end encryption for Health data requires iOS 12 or later and two-factor authentication. Otherwise, the user’s data is still encrypted in storage and transmission but isn’t encrypted end-to-end. After the user turns on two-factor authentication and update to iOS 12 or later, the user’s Health data is migrated to end-to-end encryption.

If the user backs up their device using iTunes (in macOS 10.14 or earlier) or the Finder (macOS 10.15 or later), Health data is stored only if the backup is encrypted.

Helpful?

Apple Platform Security

HealthKit overview