Users Facing 'Error 53' Bricking Message After Third-Party iPhone 6 Home Button Repairs

[Capt T]

I think what you don't understand numblock or others, is that apple software works with apple products...that button, was not an apple product, hence their software does not work with it. And the home button in an iPhone or an iPad is an essential part. It is the interface for Touch ID, it is the interface to go to the home screen, it is the interface to reset when used with the power button, it is a major security interface. It will need to pass security protocols, and if it can't, then it is an issue.

So no it is not surprising at all that a non Apple product does not work with Apple software. Been that way for many many years. I bring up the EULA and the Warranty only because you want proof Apple let us know. It says so in both of those, so yes they being Apple through those documents let us know, don't use unauthorized parts or there may be issues. Not their fault if you didn't read it. You wanted proof they let us know, that is it. And if you don't think, it will be brought up to defend Apple if this goes anywhere, then you don't understand what they are, and mean. And the one I linked to was for the US, would not surprise me that other countries would be different, what theirs say, or is acceptable.

 

[CFreymarc]

I bring up the EULA and the Warranty only because you want proof Apple let us know. It says so in both of those, so yes they being Apple through those documents let us know, don't use unauthorized parts or there may be issues. Not their fault if you didn't read it. You wanted proof they let us know, that is it. And if you don't think, it will be brought up to defend Apple if this goes anywhere, then you don't understand what they are, and mean. And the one I linked to was for the US, would not surprise me that other countries would be different, what theirs say, or is acceptable.

Yup, classic Broken Warranty defense. Seen cases ruled in favor of the Defendant when the exact wording of the contract was brought up. Then the judge or jury confirmed that Plaintiff was in breach of the contract.

 

[Radon87000]

New meaning September 2015?

iOS 9.0 did not have this.Only 9.2.1 does so since Dec

 

[C DM]

iOS 9.0 did not have this.Only 9.2.1 does so since Dec

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-button-repairs.1954696/page-32#post-22551928

 

[andreyirra]

Seems to me like a move against the NSA. Let's say someone wants to access an iphone. Who takes the trouble of replacing the button so they can access it? The husband suspecting of a cheating wife? Of course not. The guy who found and iPhone? Of course not because it would be blocked by now and touchid can't unblock it.

The NSA and police enforcers seem like a good answer. They would replace the button so they can access the content. This error happens after there are statements and bills trying to reduce secutiry in smartphones. Talk about timing.

 

[samcraig]

I've commented in the other similar thread - so I'll throw it out here...

If Apple is bricking phones based on a 3rd party repair and stating it is because the enclave could be compromised - then that seems to be a backslide on their promotion of Touch ID/Apple Pay and the commentary here on why this system is unhackable/etc.

 

[MrAverigeUser]

Seems to me like a move against the NSA. Let's say someone wants to access an iphone. Who takes the trouble of replacing the button so they can access it? The husband suspecting of a cheating wife? Of course not. The guy who found and iPhone? Of course not because it would be blocked by now and touchid can't unblock it.

The NSA and police enforcers seem like a good answer. They would replace the button so they can access the content. This error happens after there are statements and bills trying to reduce secutiry in smartphones. Talk about timing.

Yes, this could be the reason.
Tim Cook is one of the last if not the last to refuse on NSA totalitarism-like demands for access to all computers and devices and clouds.
This would be a honorable reason for this action.

But if so - it'd have been better to..
1) communicate this in a way that the customers are warned about the consequences
2) Let the customes themselves decide wether they want this "additional security" or not. For example by a special firmware update...

Nevertheless - it might be - but for me it looks more about economic reasons than fight for defense of constitutional/international/human rights...

And BTW:

British GCGQ is not less " totalitarism-like" than the NSA....

 

[kdarling]

The NSA and police enforcers seem like a good answer. They would replace the button so they can access the content.

The sensor in the button isn't what lets you in. It's the secure enclave, which contains the registered fingerprints and code to match them against whatever the sensor sends.

So just replacing the button would not allow accessing the content.

Unless, of course, the government embedded in it a nice image of the correct fingerprint. But if they have that, there's no need for a hacked sensor. They could easily make a fake finger instead.

What everyone misses, is that the fingerprint sensor is not totally secure no matter what, since it can be easily fooled with a fake finger. It's more of a convenience feature so you don't have to type in a long passcode. But that's good enough for security in normal circumstances.

 

[MrAverigeUser]

Every customer who does´t yet should now definitely protect his/her iPhone with the best case or silicone protection you can get on the market: the most promising effort to not join the group of unhappy victims.
But this will not help or protect in case of spontaneous bricking which evidently occurs as well….

 

[nj1266]

And how is it any way a hardware failure?It was working fine till Apple shoved their nose in was it not?

It was working fine because iOS was not restored nor was it updated. When you do that, iOS will check to see if Touch ID matches the Secure Element. If it doesn't, the phone is bricked.

Is it a heavy handed security feature? Yes it is. Would I have preferred that iOS simply disable Touch ID and inform the owner about it? Yes I would. Having said that, the end user should assume some responsibility for taking their phone to be fixed at an unauthorized repair facility.

If the end user is doing this to save money, then they have no business owning an iPhone 6/6s in the first place. You want a cheap phone that is easy to maintain outside of Apple's facilities, then go buy one. You bought an iPhone which is expensive to buy and maintain in the first place and yet people want to take it to some mall kiosk to get it repaired. It doesn't get any more irresponsible than this.

 

[MrAverigeUser]

https://www.macrumors.com/2016/02/11/apple-facing-error-53-class-action-lawsuit/
[doublepost=1455279231][/doublepost]

It was working fine because iOS was not restored nor was it updated. When you do that, iOS will check to see if Touch ID matches the Secure Element. If it doesn't, the phone is bricked.

Is it a heavy handed security feature? Yes it is. Would I have preferred that iOS simply disable Touch ID and inform the owner about it? Yes I would. Having said that, the end user should assume some responsibility for taking their phone to be fixed at an unauthorized repair facility.

If the end user is doing this to save money, then they have no business owning an iPhone 6/6s in the first place. You want a cheap phone that is easy to maintain outside of Apple's facilities, then go buy one. You bought an iPhone which is expensive to buy and maintain in the first place and yet people want to take it to some mall kiosk to get it repaired. It doesn't get any more irresponsible than this.

Sorry - but you have no clue about this. Stop apologism...

There are qualified postings about the problem:
You better inform yourself here:

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...phone-6-bricking.1955903/page-2#post-22561165

 

[Sare2514]

Little did I know, my friend had encountered an issue that Apple bricks her iPhone, because she repaired her iPhone 6 by a non-Apple technician.

Later, I know that Apple’s latest operating system permanently disables the handset if it detects that has been carried out by a non-Apple technician. I also know that this is a touch ID related problem.I have to advise her to ask Apple support team for help. Error 53 is a security feature that’s being triggered by what Apple sees as a legitimate concern. Given the number of complaints from customers, however, it seems that Apple may have strayed too far across the line and has started inconveniencing their legitimate users.

Anybody who encountered same issue? and how did you solve it?

 

[Andrei90]

First I won't have any phone to use if I sent to Apple. It will takes long time for it to reach Apple and takes long time to send back to me.

Second. Apple would charge your account first then refund you. I will not want Apple charge me and I am not able to use my money.

Third: if I can fix it at local store, why would I ship to Apple? And not only TouchID replacement will **** up your iPhone, change screen may also **** up your iPhone.

So no, for people like me where no Apple Store or Authorized reseller, not everyone willing to go through mailing back and forth

Has there been any indication error 53 affects anything else besides touch id?
[doublepost=1455928224][/doublepost]

Answer me this. Apple says they cannot decrypt iPhones, they say they cannot bypass the password lock.

FBI wants access, they can't change the Touch ID to get into the phone, but Apple can change the Touch ID and re-link the TouchID Sensor to the Secure Enclave.

Does that mean Apple actually can access the phone if they are able to change the TouchID and re-link it to the Secure Enclave? No. Because they already told the FBI it is impossible for them to bypass the password lock or decrypt the iPhones storage and being able to re-link a TouchID (and bypass the Enclave security) would make that statement false.

Thus we know verifiable by Apples own word that there is no way to defeat the security mechanism that they are aware of and yet they posses the ability to change TouchID sensors. What this means is, there is no security issue with changing TouchID sensors at all.

Do you understand what I'm getting at? All the magic occurs inside the Secure Enclave. The TouchID is just a scanning device. Changing it does not bypass the security of the phone.

No, I don't think you understand. I think what Apple's saying is if you have Touch ID enabled and someone changes the Touch ID sensor they may be able to hack it. The FBI case has nothing to do with it because even if they change the Touch ID sensor it wasn't enabled on the first place so there's nothing to hack there. They'll need to brutefoce the password.

 

[LovingTeddy]

Has there been any indication error 53 affects anything else besides touch id?
[doublepost=1455928224][/doublepost]

No, I don't think you understand. I think what Apple's saying is if you have Touch ID enabled and someone changes the Touch ID sensor they may be able to hack it. The FBI case has nothing to do with it because even if they change the Touch ID sensor it wasn't enabled on the first place so there's nothing to hack there. They'll need to brutefoce the password.

No. TouchID is simply a scanning device and everything is sorted inside Secure Enclave. There is no way to hack TouchID and malicious TouchID will not able to access and read encrypted finger print data. Therefore there is no way to hack into your fingerprint data. All Apple can do is re-link TouchID senor and Secure Enclave. That is simply a validation process.

And you are right that FBI will have no access with TouchID and they will have to bruteforce password.

 

[I7guy]

No. TouchID is simply a scanning device and everything is sorted inside Secure Enclave. There is no way to hack TouchID and malicious TouchID will not able to access and read encrypted finger print data. Therefore there is no way to hack into your fingerprint data. All Apple can do is re-link TouchID senor and Secure Enclave. That is simply a validation process.

And you are right that FBI will have no access with TouchID and they will have to bruteforce password.

Isn't fbi phone a 5c? No touch id.

 

[Andrei90]

No. TouchID is simply a scanning device and everything is sorted inside Secure Enclave. There is no way to hack TouchID and malicious TouchID will not able to access and read encrypted finger print data. Therefore there is no way to hack into your fingerprint data. All Apple can do is re-link TouchID senor and Secure Enclave. That is simply a validation process.

And you are right that FBI will have no access with TouchID and they will have to bruteforce password.

Like I said before, I think Apple knows better than you on this one, and if they say it's possible then I believe them.

 

[Sare2514]

Apple has zero responsibility to allow or consider non- Apple parts being put into their product.

Yes. Quite right.

 

[kdarling]

Like I said before, I think Apple knows better than you on this one, and if they say it's possible then I believe them.

It's also possible to make a fake finger from a decent print, and fool Touch Id easily... without getting involved in highly unlikely and convoluted Mission Impossible schemes to hack a fingerprint sensor without the user noticing.

However, Apple avoids saying that.

 

[samcraig]

It's also possible to make a fake finger from a decent print, and fool Touch Id easily... without getting involved in highly unlikely and convoluted Mission Impossible schemes to hack a fingerprint sensor without the user noticing.

However, Apple avoids saying that.

This is what I've been saying too. I haven't heard of one logical scenario where there's a security threat that wouldn't be convoluted.

 

[tmt]

I´m about to change my sons 5S screen at a 3rd party dealer who I´ve used before with great results.
The TouchID is working and doesn´t need to be changed. Am I at risk bricking his phone, or is that just iPhone 6 and upwards?
TIA

 

[C DM]

I´m about to change my sons 5S screen at a 3rd party dealer who I´ve used before with great results.
The TouchID is working and doesn´t need to be changed. Am I at risk bricking his phone, or is that just iPhone 6 and upwards?
TIA

An updated version of iOS 9.2.1 has already been released that avoids the "bricking". But you might potentially end up with disabled TouchID.

 

[tmt]

Yeah, that´s what I was afraid of, not bricking the phone, but disabling the toucjID, even if that is not changed. Thx

 

[I7guy]

This is what I've been saying too. I haven't heard of one logical scenario where there's a security threat that wouldn't be convoluted.

Just because this information isn't to be found, doesn't mean someone else knows something you don't.

 

[Mfnd]

An updated version of iOS 9.2.1 has already been released that avoids the "bricking". But you might potentially end up with disabled TouchID.

Could you just clarify what that means? Both my iPad Air 1 and iPhone 6 have had screens replaced following drops and I have not updated either as I don't want to Brick them. Am I now safe to update them then or could I still risk bricking? I don't mind loosing he Touch ID on the iPhone. Never use it anyway.

 

[C DM]

Could you just clarify what that means? Both my iPad Air 1 and iPhone 6 have had screens replaced following drops and I have not updated either as I don't want to Brick them. Am I now safe to update them then or could I still risk bricking? I don't mind loosing he Touch ID on the iPhone. Never use it anyway.

The latest version of 9.2.1 that you would update to won't "brick" your device because of some work that has been done in it in relation to the screen or TouchID being replaced (it might disable TouchID though).