I went to the Apple "Genius Bar" today to get my iphone screen repaired (it shows only a white screen). They told me I need to disable the "find my iphone feature" before they can start the repair. This requires me to confirm it on the phone itself - which does not work due to the broken screen. So the apple staff handed me a "Showcase iPhone" of the apple store which had a "apple support" app on which I need to enter the password of my phone. I have no idea what this apple support app is doing or if it is legitimate at all (ass this is a show phone where many people have access to). I ended up leaving without repairing the phone and now consider to go to an unofficial screen repair shop.
From a security point of view that does not look like a very good approach. Any thought on this?
Ask HN: Why does Apple want me to expose my iPhone password to repair my screen?
1–10 of 77 posts
Re: Ask HN: Why does Apple want me to expose my iPhone password to repair my screen?
#2You are needlessly paranoid.
It's common to ask for the password and I don't think they'd touch your private files.
After the screen is fixed they'd need to do QA that it works correctly. Some things you just have to trust in life, too much paranoia won't lead you to good places. Trust me, I've been there.
Re: Ask HN: Why does Apple want me to expose my iPhone password to repair my screen?
#3At some point you need to trust your vendor or why are you even
buying their products in the first place
Re: Ask HN: Why does Apple want me to expose my iPhone password to repair my screen?
#4You are needlessly paranoid. It's common to ask for the password and I don't think they'd touch your private files. After the screen is fixed they'd need to do QA that it works correctly. Some things you just have to trust in life, too much paranoia won't lead you to good places. Trust me, I've been there.
Considering Apple's history of working with intelligence agencies the paranoia is warranted. We can debate if OP is enough of a target for it to matter, though.
Re: Ask HN: Why does Apple want me to expose my iPhone password to repair my screen?
#5You should delete all your personal data and then leave a mobile in the support store, I won't leave my phone unblocked to anyone.
Re: Ask HN: Why does Apple want me to expose my iPhone password to repair my screen?
#6You are needlessly paranoid. It's common to ask for the password and I don't think they'd touch your private files. After the screen is fixed they'd need to do QA that it works correctly. Some things you just have to trust in life, too much paranoia won't lead you to good places. Trust me, I've been there.
I might trust Apple in this specific situation but not their workers. They can cause me a lot of trouble with an unlocked iPhone. Like temporarily supplant my identity or steal pictures
Re: Ask HN: Why does Apple want me to expose my iPhone password to repair my screen?
#7At some point you need to trust your vendor or why are you even buying their products in the first place
I trust my vendor to supply me with genuine parts. I don't give the keys away to my vendors to fix issues. If you must, offload data from the phone and wipe it, then have it serviced. Just like you would remove precious cargo from the trunk of your car when you give it to a dealership service center.
Re: Ask HN: Why does Apple want me to expose my iPhone password to repair my screen?
#8You are needlessly paranoid. It's common to ask for the password and I don't think they'd touch your private files. After the screen is fixed they'd need to do QA that it works correctly. Some things you just have to trust in life, too much paranoia won't lead you to good places. Trust me, I've been there.
Better off wiping your phone before sending it in for repair - incidents like this are not worth the hassle:
> Legal filings, first reported on by the Telegraph, revealed the unnamed woman sent her iPhone for repair on 14 January 2016 to an Apple-approved repair contractor called Pegatron Technology Service in California. Technicians there then uploaded “extremely personal and private material” to the woman’s Facebook account and other internet locations, the documents said.
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/jun/07/apple-set...
Re: Ask HN: Why does Apple want me to expose my iPhone password to repair my screen?
#9You are needlessly paranoid. It's common to ask for the password and I don't think they'd touch your private files. After the screen is fixed they'd need to do QA that it works correctly. Some things you just have to trust in life, too much paranoia won't lead you to good places. Trust me, I've been there.
Would you like to give me your house key? I'll just check if there are any parasites there, while you're gone. Trust me.
Re: Ask HN: Why does Apple want me to expose my iPhone password to repair my screen?
#10At some point you need to trust your vendor or why are you even buying their products in the first place
I won't trust anyone, I would delete my personal data before leaving my device in the store.