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Always asking "Trust This Computer" [MERGED]

This is a problem with iOS 16 as I don't recall it in 15. Every time I go to sync my Mac with my iPhone, it asks me to enter the passcode, even if the phone is unlocked. Anyone have a fix for this?
 
JohannesO said:
I’m afraid Apple did this on purpose to push iCloud backups and subscriptions.
Click to expand...
I must admit I had that thought too. There's already so much friction doing any kind of backup or file transfer over a wired connection and WiFi works about 1 time in 10. Pretty sure that only iCloud continues to be seamless. Well I'll just keep dealing with it because I'm not going to join Apple's services club.
 
I believe this may be an intentional change to temporarily avoid a security issue, which otherwise hadn't been fixed yet: https://theevilbit.github.io/posts/cve-2022-32929/ (as shown in the blog post and embedded Twitter thread linked earlier)

> The issue is that an attacker can invoke the `AppleMobileBackup` utility and make a backup to a custom location. Thus completely bypassing the protected backup location.

The issue was "fixed" on the macOS side by updating the binary to not support this behavior, but the problem is that you can still swap in a binary from an older version of macOS to get around this.

So, presumably, the problem is blocked from the iOS side now until the issue is resolved from the iOS side to make the older macOS binaries not work with newer iOS. I think it's safe to assume there wasn't time to fix this fully (since it needs to behave differently depending on the version of macOS making the request to avoid making older Macs entirely incompatible despite the prompt) and therefore the fix is temporary, but it would be a shame if it was permanent.
 
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JohannesO said:
I’m afraid Apple did this on purpose to push iCloud backups and subscriptions.
Click to expand...
I suspect this was done to break GreyKey and Cellebrite devices from harvesting your private data without your permission. This change means that LE can no longer use a device you previously trusted, like your personal Mac, or the key negotiated between devices to extract a backup from your other devices to decrypt and feed into a GK or Cellebrite box.
 
Ping. Adding myself to the unsatisfied list.
This is so bloody annoying. In the latest Ventura update, the notification of "cannot initiate back up" is a popup message that interrupts you, not just a small notification in the Finder.

Does Apple still fix bugs, or is it passe?
 
I’ve actually been thinking of changing my 8 char iPhone pw back to a much simpler quick pw. Stuff on my mobile devices is not especially sensitive.
 
So the passcode requirement is to mitigate a security vulnerability and we’ll need to wait for the underlying security issue to be resolved before we can backup without passcode.
 
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It looks like Apple don't consider that people uses their Macbooks with their iPhones. Or Macbook + Android, or iPhone + Windows.
 
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I understand prompting you whenever you plug in your device. It might not be you plugging it in, you know? But then it will prompt you again if you attempt a backup or iOS update. No reason to be prompted more than once... it can't be that hard of a fix.
 
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no0nefamous said:
I understand prompting you whenever you plug in your device. It might not be you plugging it in, you know? But then it will prompt you again if you attempt a backup or iOS update. No reason to be prompted more than once... it can't be that hard of a fix.
Click to expand...
I suspect that’s because it isn’t just via a cable that you can do a backup. So at the minute it’s defaulting to always asking for the passcode/word whenever a backup is triggered, regardless of whether it is via wired or wireless.

It’ll go away once there’s a fix for the wireless backup, which I believe was the problem in the first place.
 
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steve62388 said:
Are you using a wired connection?

Under the Face-ID and Passcode section of Settings there is a USB Accessories setting that is disabled by default. This is a security feature that locks out the port if your phone has been locked for an hour. This is to prevent access if somebody gets hold of your phone. I leave mine disabled (ie locked out).

www.macrumors.com

Apple Confirms Plans to Disable Law Enforcement Access to iPhone via Tools Like GrayKey Box

Apple has confirmed that it is closing a technological loophole that allows law enforcement officials to hack into iPhones through USB-based hardware...
www.macrumors.com www.macrumors.com
Click to expand...
Thank you. Whilst not the worst problem even in first world problems, it is a small thorn removed from my daily life!
 
Still not fixed as if 16.5.1.

I think they're intentionally trying to make physically connecting your phone annoying.
 
I don't know... I'm fine with them asking when I first plug it in each time so it knows its me. But that should be it! It asks when you try to backup or update. If you're like me and prefer to update through Finder, it's annoying because it used to be you could just click "update" and walk away. Now, if you don't watch it vigilantly, it will fail. You have to watch it for both the automatic backup it does before updating AND when it tries to initiate the actual update. If you don't enter your passcode soon enough, the update fails.

I don't understand why it can't just ask only when you first make the physical connection.
 
no0nefamous said:
I don't know... I'm fine with them asking when I first plug it in each time so it knows its me. But that should be it! It asks when you try to backup or update. If you're like me and prefer to update through Finder, it's annoying because it used to be you could just click "update" and walk away. Now, if you don't watch it vigilantly, it will fail. You have to watch it for both the automatic backup it does before updating AND when it tries to initiate the actual update. If you don't enter your passcode soon enough, the update fails.

I don't understand why it can't just ask only when you first make the physical connection.
Click to expand...
That’s the thing that Apple still needs to fix…
 
I also still do not understand why the message on the phone is "Trust this computer"
Like; which computer? It could be the neighbour's computer for all I know. Why is the computer's name not displayed?
 
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