Yesterday, Apple launched iOS with new features, including collaborative playlists in Apple Music and a Black History Month Unity wallpaper. Stolen device security is another intriguing iOS 17.3 feature. Since iOS 17.3 disables it by default, iPhone owners should enable it.
Joanna Stern and Nicole Nguyen of the Wall Street Journal investigated this feature. Thieves stole money and sensitive data from an iPhone and iCloud account.
Passcodes are important since they unlock phones and modify settings. You can unlock a phone and modify settings with the passcode, even with Face ID or Touch ID active.
iPhone thieves have begun going to pubs late at night to chat with strangers for their passcodes.
An iPhone thief told Joanna Stern he would tell his victims he wanted to add them on Snapchat. The thief would argue he can input his login straight since it’s simpler to type on someone else’s phone than to mention it.
The thief would lock the iPhone and pretend it was locked when the user handed it up. After asking for the passcode, he remembered it.
After taking a phone, the passcode can unlock it and reset the Apple ID password in settings. Disabling Find My iPhone prevents the victim from remotely wiping their device.
Many iPhone users keep bank app passwords in their iCloud Keychain and credit card information in Safari autofill options. Thieves may even read encrypted Notes app notes to find your SSN.
They may also use Apple Pay directly. If Face ID fails, criminals can register their own face in Face ID with the device passcode.
Apple lets you remotely erase your smartphone for an hour.
In iOS 17.3, Apple included stolen device security. Accessing passwords and credit cards requires Face ID or Touch ID biometric authentication while it’s activated.
Face ID or Touch ID identification, updating your Apple ID password and passcode, and turning off stolen device protection all involve security delays. Your iPhone instructs you to wait at least an hour to make essential changes when you first attempt.
If your iPhone is stolen, you may remotely erase it using another device to protect your data. There is only one exception. In your home or office, you don’t need to wait an hour to make a key adjustment.
Apple is attempting to combine security and convenience, but it’s not ideal. Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Stolen Device Protection activates this new security function.
