iPhone thieves are using a scary new technique that you should be aware of. Brave thieves have found a way around Apple’s security measures, which should keep most thieves from getting into your iPhone.
Several articles in the Wall Street Journal showed that thieves will steal an iPhone if they see someone in a public place, like a bar, use the Lock Screen password to open the phone.
The attackers quickly use the password to set up a new security key that can’t be broken. This gives them control of the Apple ID. This makes it so the person can’t use their own Apple account.
After that, the attackers can use the device to buy things with the victim’s cards until they are canceled. And since your Apple ID doesn’t stop the phone from being used again, they can wipe it clean and sell it.
If this has happened to you before, you probably know that Apple isn’t much help most of the time. And the company needs to change that so thieves can’t use the above way to take over iPhones and get full control of someone’s Apple ID.
Until then, I’ll show you how to change two important settings on your iPhone so that thieves can’t get into your Apple ID. You’ll also find a bonus setting that is just as important for keeping your phone safe from thieves who try to take it in other ways.
Set up a strong password with Face ID
If your Lock Screen doesn’t have a mix of Face ID and a password, thieves will be able to get into your phone as soon as they get their hands on it. So, when setting up your iPhone, the first thing you should do is turn on Face ID and make a strong password with more than six characters.
Then make sure you always use Face ID when you’re out and about. If the first time you try to log in fails, try again instead of entering your password in a public place. Also, if you think someone else knows that password, change it every so often.
- Open the Settings app
- Tap the Face ID & Passcode menu
- Enter your current passcode
- choose Change Passcode
- Verify your old passcode again but don’t enter another six-digit code
- Tap on the Passcode Options menu button above the keyboard
- Go for Custom Alphanumeric Code
- Set up a strong password
Use Screen Time to prevent an Apple ID Account Takeover
Let’s Say That, Even Though It Has More Than six characters, your password isn’t strong enough. Or that the people who stole your iPhone have a photographic memory and remember your long, unique password.
So that they can’t get into your Apple ID account and use a security key to lock you out, you need to stop yourself from getting into the Apple ID unless you know the Screen Time password.
If you turn this setting on, you won’t be able to use your Apple ID on your iPhone unless you do the steps above again to let changes to your account. It’s a pain, but it might be worth it in the long run.
- Open the Settings app
- Tap Screen Time
- Scroll down to set a password for it, and make sure you remember it (or change it from time to time if you have it enabled)
- Enter your Apple ID credentials so you can recover the Screen Time password if you forget it
- Go to Content & Privacy Restrictions
- Toggle on the Content & Privacy Restrictions
- Scroll down to Allow Changes
- Tap Account Changes and select Don’t allow
- You can also block Passcode Changes at this step
When you block Passcode Changes, the Face ID and Passcode menu is also taken out of the Settings app. So that thieves can’t change the password on the phone.
Disable Control Center access on the Lock Screen
With the Find My app, you’ll always be able to find your iPhone, even if you lose it or someone steals it. But if you have Control Center on your Lock Screen, thieves can turn on Airplane mode. This makes it hard for Find My iPhone to track your phone.
If thieves already know your Lock Screen password, this trick won’t help. Because once they open the phone, they can use everything on it, including the Control Center. But it will keep you safe in other ways.
- Open the Settings app
- Tap the Apple ID name
- Go to Find My
- Enable all the features in the menu
You’ll then want to disable Control Center access on Lock Screen:
- Open the Settings app
- Tap the Face ID & Passcode menu
- Scroll for the Allow Access When Locked menu
- Disable Control Center
- Also, disable Accessories so others can’t use USB devices with a locked iPhone
The iPad also has these safety tools. Make sure thieves can’t do much with your iPhone by turning them on as soon as possible.
Hopes are that Apple will find a way to stop thieves from changing Apple ID in the way reported by The Journal. Or that it will make it easier for people to get their Apple ID back by giving them new methods that can get around reset keys.
Read More:
Snapchat Is Giving Its AI Robot Away for Free to Everyone
Microsoft is Making an AI Chip With The Code Name Athena On TSMC 5nm Node.
Google Fi Has a New Name, and Smartwatches Can Now Connect to It in More Ways.
