Multiple iPads reset+activation locked overnight?

[Patron_Saint]

Woke up this morning to my iPad Pro being seemingly reset - showing the "Hello" screen, and proceeding through the setup, gets to the activation lock screen. Once entering my ID, the iPad was essentially frozen for about a minute, then unlocked and is back to normal. All my data still there, nothing wrong.

Now this was odd in itself. But then I heard from a few family members - all with the same issue this morning. A variety of iPads, cellular and wifi models, and nothing particular in common between any of them other than using iCloud.

Did anyone else experience this today? Does anyone know the cause?

 

[techiegirl]

Did your iPad automatically updated overnight?

 

[Patron_Saint]

Did your iPad automatically updated overnight?

Nope. Neither did others in question. Some were on iOS 9, some on iOS 10.

 

[masotime]

You should probably report this to Apple. It seems possible someone is trying to hack iOS devices randomly and making Apple servers reset their activation locks.

 

[Defender2010]

You should probably report this to Apple. It seems possible someone is trying to hack iOS devices randomly and making Apple servers reset their activation locks.

It's more likely to be a .1.1 update unknown to the single user that reported this rather than an attack on Apple. Otherwise it would be front page news. Don't scaremonger please.

 

[shard]

Woke up this morning to my iPad Pro being seemingly reset - showing the "Hello" screen, and proceeding through the setup, gets to the activation lock screen. Once entering my ID, the iPad was essentially frozen for about a minute, then unlocked and is back to normal. All my data still there, nothing wrong.

Now this was odd in itself. But then I heard from a few family members - all with the same issue this morning. A variety of iPads, cellular and wifi models, and nothing particular in common between any of them other than using iCloud.

Did anyone else experience this today? Does anyone know the cause?

I woke up to the same issue with my iPad Mini 1. I first tried restarting it but the activation lock was still there. Once I logged in I received an email stating my iPad was removed as a trusted device.

I've not done any OTA update in at least the last couple of weeks. The one thing I did do was enable Home Hub on the iPad yesterday.

I only own one iPad and and the issue on that. My iPhone 6s has not received any activation messages.

Freaked me out.

 

[adrianlondon]

You should probably report this to Apple. It seems possible someone is trying to hack iOS devices randomly and making Apple servers reset their activation locks.

"Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity" ... on Apple's side. Could be a glitch.

It's more likely to be a .1.1 update unknown to the single user that reported this rather than an attack on Apple. Otherwise it would be front page news. Don't scaremonger please.

The OP stated some of the devices are on iOS9.

You could call Apple support or just shrug and add it back as a trusted device.
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6535972?start=0&tstart=0

 

[masotime]

It's more likely to be a .1.1 update unknown to the single user that reported this rather than an attack on Apple. Otherwise it would be front page news. Don't scaremonger please.

It's not scaremongering.

1. 10.1.1 is not a OTA update - https://www.macrumors.com/2016/11/09/apple-releases-new-version-of-ios-10-1-1/
2. There has been similar front page news - https://www.macrumors.com/2016/10/05/iphone-activation-lock-wrong-apple-id-issues/
3. Someone else has already reported a similar issue - https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/sudden-activation-lock-screen-on-ipad.2013962/

I've personally seen this issue, on an iPhone 6S that I sold to someone which I had carefully unlocked and removed from Find My iPhone. I got a shock when the buyer said it was locked, and I had to call Apple support to unlock it - fortunately I had the receipt so it was still doable.

It's not the same scenario as the OP, but it is plausible that a similar attack vector is being used by hackers to trigger activation lock resets.

 

[Patron_Saint]

To clarify a bit further:

- activation locks were all the normal address used. I.E., not the random address attributed to the 6S/7 getting locked (which I experienced myself and resolved with Apple on a 6S Plus).

- none of the devices updated, and all involved still have pending updates.

- no further issues have been apparent since the initial unlock.

 

[masotime]

It could just be a glitch, but it's still good to let Apple know. At the very least, it will help give Apple the necessary information to prevent such glitches in the future.

I personally appreciate the Actviation lock feature as a means to deter would-be thieves*, but it seems that Apple has left a number of loopholes that actually inconvenience users, which would be in the best interests of all to correct.

* (although unfortunately it doesn't help people buying off e.g. Craigslist without checking)