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P_Watt

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 10, 2018
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iPhone 17.3 beta 1 I can bypass stolen device protection with reset all settings, anyone else?
 
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According to this article, Erase all content and settings is one of the features that is protected by biometrics.

Biometrics are required to:

  • Access iCloud Keychain passwords
  • Apply for a new Apple Card
  • Erase all content and settings
  • Turn off Lost Mode
  • Send Apple Cash to a bank account
  • Use your iPhone to set up a new device
  • Use payment methods saved in Safari
Biometrics + an hour wait are required to:

  • Change your Apple ID password
  • Enable recovery key
  • Change trusted phone number or contact
  • Add Face ID or Touch ID
  • Remove Face ID or Touch ID
  • Disable Find My
  • Turn off Stolen Device Protection

 
According to this article, Erase all content and settings is one of the features that is protected by biometrics.



I had my thumb over the cameras
Yes it says erase all content and settings, But I used reset all settings (settings, general, Transfer or reset iPhone, reset, reset all settings) don’t try it unless it’s your test phone)
 
You can reset all settings I guess, but that doesn't bypass any security measures. All data is preserved. Find My still works. Activation lock still works. A thief wouldn't be able to accomplish anything useful by doing it, if that's your concern.
 
You can reset all settings I guess, but that doesn't bypass any security measures. All data is preserved. Find My still works. Activation lock still works. A thief wouldn't be able to accomplish anything useful by doing it, if that's your concern.
When I tested it, after Reset all settings there was no passcode or face ID. Turn Wifi back on and you can add a new passcode and FaceID which can then be used to turn off the new protection. That then opens the phone fir resetting AppleID password using passcode which is the big security hole that Apple introduced a couple of years ago to save staff costs.
Still say all data is protected?
 
I didn't think Reset all settings would remove the passcode, but according to this site I found, it does.


Though it does seem like that would bypass Stolen device protection, I doubt that Apple has overlooked such a possibility. The public information about this feature won't be complete until 17.3 is released. I will guess that either biometric authentication will be required for Reset all settings, or Reset all settings will no longer remove the passcode and FaceID.

Perhaps we should move our discussion to the this existing thread:

 
I didn't think Reset all settings would remove the passcode, but according to this site I found, it does.


Though it does seem like that would bypass Stolen device protection, I doubt that Apple has overlooked such a possibility. The public information about this feature won't be complete until 17.3 is released. I will guess that either biometric authentication will be required for Reset all settings, or Reset all settings will no longer remove the passcode and FaceID.

Perhaps we should move our discussion to the this existing thread:

All I can do is report it in FBA it’s up to apple to plug the gap
If you can get it moved please do, I posted it here in error
 
Please contact Apple via report on

I had answer in 2-3 days, compared to Feedback app - there really works qualified people,

Not like in Feedback app - amateurs who asks for FW version when it’s already in logs and written down in report details because it was not in dropdown menu even though it was not beta version… but still I use it.
 
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The problem with this post is that you didn’t give enough details for anyone to make anything out of this
iPhone 17.3 beta 1 I can bypass stolen device protection with reset all settings, anyone else?

When posting about an issue to MacRumours, give details relevant to the issue.

For example in the specific case of Stolen Device Protection:
  • What did you do step by step to reset the device?
  • Where were you when you did the reset? Remember that the protection doesn’t kick in “familiar locations”. Check in iOS significant locations if you did it in a familiar location.
  • Could you have not seen the Face ID prompt because of the speed?
  • Were you able to replicate the issue or was this a one off?
 
The problem with this post is that you didn’t give enough details for anyone to make anything out of this


When posting about an issue to MacRumours, give details relevant to the issue.

For example in the specific case of Stolen Device Protection:
  • What did you do step by step to reset the device?
  • Where were you when you did the reset? Remember that the protection doesn’t kick in “familiar locations”. Check in iOS significant locations if you did it in a familiar location.
  • Could you have not seen the Face ID prompt because of the speed?
  • Were you able to replicate the issue or was this a one off?
I gave more details in a later post.
Too late now. I reported it, Apple thanked me, they fixed it in beta 2.
All done.
 
Where were you when you did the reset? Remember that the protection doesn’t kick in “familiar locations”. Check in iOS significant locations if you did it in a familiar location.
That is incorrect as I understand it, the time delay should not be needed at familiar locations, but the biometrics are always required to do all the security access and changes in the list, wherever you are.
 
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The problem with this post is that you didn’t give enough details for anyone to make anything out of this


When posting about an issue to MacRumours, give details relevant to the issue.

For example in the specific case of Stolen Device Protection:
  • What did you do step by step to reset the device?
  • Where were you when you did the reset? Remember that the protection doesn’t kick in “familiar locations”. Check in iOS significant locations if you did it in a familiar location.
  • Could you have not seen the Face ID prompt because of the speed?
  • Were you able to replicate the issue or was this a one off?
Do you know that’s not good to post details about unfixed security breach? Apple got the report luckily.
Giving scrap of details is enough to validate if someone faced it as well.
Don’t help the thieves :)
 
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Do you know that’s not good to post details about unfixed security breach? Apple got the report luckily.
Giving scrap of details is enough to validate if someone faced it as well.
Don’t help the thieves :)
It’s beta software. Beta software by definition is unfinished/is expected to have bugs.
Apple hasn’t even fully detailed yet how Stolen Device Protection works—all we have is light comms from tech websites.

In fact, beta software is likely to be less secure than an official release because of that.
If security is a concern, don’t install beta software.
 
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Apple hasn’t even fully detailed yet how Stolen Device Protection works—all we have is light comms from tech websites.
I’ve only been an Appleseed tester for 3 years but it still amazes me that they don’t release beta versions of their knowledge base articles so that
1. we have some idea how it is supposed to work (I have reported design changes as bugs!) and
2. We can nit-pick the KBs which are not always perfect or missing on release if the iOS.

Public beta testers are given no help by Apple and the official ASC forum moderates any mention of beta (one reason I left after 10 years) so thank goodness for this forum.

I published this security hole as widely as I could because the official FBA rarely acknowledges my reports. It seems to have got through in time for beta 2.
 
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I’ve only been an Appleseed tester for 3 years but it still amazes me that they don’t release beta versions of their knowledge base articles so that
1. we have some idea how it is supposed to work (I have reported design changes as bugs!) and
2. We can nit-pick the KBs which are not always perfect or missing on release if the iOS.

Public beta testers are given no help by Apple and the official ASC forum moderates any mention of beta (one reason I left after 10 years) so thank goodness for this forum.

I published this security hole as widely as I could because the official FBA rarely acknowledges my reports. It seems to have got through in time for beta 2.
I’ve only been an Appleseed tester for 3 years but it still amazes me that they don’t release beta versions of their knowledge base articles so that
1. we have some idea how it is supposed to work (I have reported design changes as bugs!) and
2. We can nit-pick the KBs which are not always perfect or missing on release if the iOS.

Public beta testers are given no help by Apple and the official ASC forum moderates any mention of beta (one reason I left after 10 years) so thank goodness for this forum.

I published this security hole as widely as I could because the official FBA rarely acknowledges my reports. It seems to have got through in time for beta 2.
I think the reason they don’t do KBs is because being beta, things can change quickly between betas, and Apple doesn’t likely want 5 versions of the same KBs for the beta.
There is a change log though that should capture most changes.

The beta problem is mostly for power users and a way for Apple to collect logs. I think most problems are detected through logs, and a minority through feedback.
Also, Apple definitely monitors the forums like MacRumors for issues and feedback.
 
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Easiest solution would be to behind stolen device protection to let you manually add the locations you want allowed.
 
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