The problem is that one can change Apple ID password knowing only the pincode. No old password asked. This gives thief a full control of Apple ID
Settings -> Apple ID (top panel with name) -> Password&security -> Change password
Apple’s iPhone Passcode Problem WSJ
11–20 of 33 posts
Re: Apple’s iPhone Passcode Problem WSJ
#12Can the submitter provide a summary? Unlike a text article, you can't quickly skim a 9-minute video to figure out its main point.
Thieves are watching people input their PINs into phones and then stealing the phones. They can then gain access to any apps that use the "sign-in with Apple" feature that uses Face ID or PIN to log instead of the app's own login.
> uses Face ID or PIN to login
I just tried this and neither LastPass nor any of my banks accept PIN. It’s FaceID or the full 3rd party password only.
Is this a real issue? What banks and password managers allow pin? Only Apples built in manager?
Re: Apple’s iPhone Passcode Problem WSJ
#13There is a sophisticated scam targeting apple iPhone users, that starts with stealing the phone and ends with draining all financial accounts, there are hundreds of cases with damage in the five digits and apple doesn't care. The remediations recommended are: - alphanumeric passcode - different passcodes for financial apps - not using the native password manager - not storing credentials for financial apps in any pas…
What would you like Apple to do?
Don’t allow PIN as valid login for for password managers or apple id changing?
Re: Apple’s iPhone Passcode Problem WSJ
#14There is a sophisticated scam targeting apple iPhone users, that starts with stealing the phone and ends with draining all financial accounts, there are hundreds of cases with damage in the five digits and apple doesn't care. The remediations recommended are: - alphanumeric passcode - different passcodes for financial apps - not using the native password manager - not storing credentials for financial apps in any pas…
There was a thread yesterday where someone suggested using a screen time pin, different from device pin, and disabling access to iCloud settings as a potential way to protect yourself too.
Re: Apple’s iPhone Passcode Problem WSJ
#15Can the submitter provide a summary? Unlike a text article, you can't quickly skim a 9-minute video to figure out its main point.
1) Criminals work in groups to steal iPhones. One person will watch you or take a video of you entering your passcode, another person will snatch the phone from you.
2) Within 3 minutes, the criminals will use the phone passcode to reset your Apple ID password, change the trusted phone number of your Apple ID, and set a recovery key.
3) Now they can deactivate "Find my iPhone"
4) And they can log out all your other devices, lock them, or even erase them remotely
5) Now you have no way to access your iCloud account, and the thieves have completely taken over your digital identity
6) Using passwords saved on the phone, and with SMS 2FA, they can now transfer money from all your accounts
7) Using other data stored on your phone (eg. in photos), they can apply for Apple Credit Card and use that to steal more money from you
Joanna Stern recommends these steps steps:
1) Use a complex passcode
2) Use a 3rd party password manager with a different passcode
3) Check your photos to make sure there are no photos of sensitive documents
Re: Apple’s iPhone Passcode Problem WSJ
#16There is a sophisticated scam targeting apple iPhone users, that starts with stealing the phone and ends with draining all financial accounts, there are hundreds of cases with damage in the five digits and apple doesn't care. The remediations recommended are: - alphanumeric passcode - different passcodes for financial apps - not using the native password manager - not storing credentials for financial apps in any pas…
There was a thread yesterday where someone suggested using a screen time pin, different from device pin, and disabling access to iCloud settings as a potential way to protect yourself too.
Where was that? Might be interesting
Re: Apple’s iPhone Passcode Problem WSJ
#17The problem is that one can change Apple ID password knowing only the pincode. No old password asked. This gives thief a full control of Apple ID Settings -> Apple ID (top panel with name) -> Password&security -> Change password
Wow, I just tried and it’s very easy. Seems like a huge miss of privilege escalation allowing someone with the pin and phone to escalate to full password. This should require the old password or more steps.
Re: Apple’s iPhone Passcode Problem WSJ
#18Can the submitter provide a summary? Unlike a text article, you can't quickly skim a 9-minute video to figure out its main point.
1) Criminals work in groups to steal iPhones. One person will watch you or take a video of you entering your passcode, another person will snatch the phone from you. 2) Within 3 minutes, the criminals will use the phone passcode to reset your Apple ID password, change the trusted phone number of your Apple ID, and set a recovery key. 3) Now they can deactivate "Find my iPhone" 4) And they can log out all your other d…
So the 6 digit iPhone passcode overrides the iCloud master password? That's insane.
Re: Apple’s iPhone Passcode Problem WSJ
#19Can the submitter provide a summary? Unlike a text article, you can't quickly skim a 9-minute video to figure out its main point.
Summary:
Due to the complexity and recursive nature of modern digital authentication, it turns out that often all that is really really actually protecting a user's identity at the end of the day is a 4 digit PIN code that they happily type in front of anyone and everyone hundreds of times per day.
An attacker with knowledge of someone's PIN can use it to gain temporary access to a user's device, and then they have both auth factors necessary for a complete takeover of the account associated with the device, which is very often being used as the IdP for many other accounts and services. Commence lateral movement.
It's plainly evident to anyone with half a brain that a two factor scheme that authenticates the second factor with the first factor is not, in fact, a two factor scheme. When the first factor is so weak that it can be broken by looking at some smudges on the screen, well, here we are.
But consumers are idiots, and if you actually forced them to use proper authentication schemes then most people would simply lock themselves out of everything and lose all of their data permanently multiple times per year. As a practical matter, I don't really see a good way to overcome user irresponsibility.
Re: Apple’s iPhone Passcode Problem WSJ
#20Earlier quoted context omitted.
1) Criminals work in groups to steal iPhones. One person will watch you or take a video of you entering your passcode, another person will snatch the phone from you. 2) Within 3 minutes, the criminals will use the phone passcode to reset your Apple ID password, change the trusted phone number of your Apple ID, and set a recovery key. 3) Now they can deactivate "Find my iPhone" 4) And they can log out all your other d…
So the 6 digit iPhone passcode overrides the iCloud master password? That's insane.
Yeah I don't understand why Apple would even know my iPhone passcode.
I always assumed it stayed on the device.