Latest news with #StolenDeviceProtection
Tom's Guide
a day ago
- Tom's Guide
Thieves hate this iPhone feature — how to enable Stolen Device Protection
Thousands of iPhones are stolen every year, and the number of thefts is rising. These devices, along with Android phones, are highly valuable — not just because they're expensive, but because of the apps and personal data they contain. There have been reports of thieves draining users' bank accounts, but that's only the tip of the iceberg. With so much sensitive information stored on an iPhone, protecting it is essential. Apple introduced Stolen Device Protection to make it harder for thieves to take control of a stolen device. If someone gets hold of your passcode, this extra safeguard can buy you time to act. Here's how it works and why every iPhone user should turn it on. Stolen Device Protection was designed to combat thieves who have gained knowledge of your passcode. Even when you're using FaceID or TouchID, a passcode can still enable a thief to access your handset and they can do severe damage, locking you out of the iPhone and Apple Account. When you activate Stolen Device Protection, you will prevent the immediate changing of these settings by introducing a one-hour delay. Should a thief get hold of your iPhone, they will have to wait before they get a chance to make changes. In that time, you can use Find My to locate, lock or erase a lost or stolen phone and take control of the situation. They may still end up with your device, of course, but, if you're quick enough, they won't be able to do much with your personal data. To activate (or deactivate) Stolen Device Protection, you will need to launch the Settings app and tap Face ID & Passcode (unless you have an older iPhone with Home button, in which case tap Touch ID & Passcode). You will be asked to enter your iPhone's passcode (the one you use to unlock the device). Next, scroll down the screen (to around half way) and tap Stolen Device Protection. It will be Off by default. Tap the button next to Stolen Device Protection. The feature will be on when the toggle is green and off when it is gray. You can now select the protection you require. You're essentially choosing the conditions under which key iPhone settings can be changed — settings that, if misused, could lock you out of your device or Apple Account. If you select Away from Familiar Locations, then you are telling your iPhone to block, for one hour, any attempt to change your device's important settings if the handset is not at your home or place of work. Your iPhone is able to detect the places you visit most often. If you select Always then it won't matter where your handset is located. If an attempt is made to change important settings, it will be blocked for an hour. You can test this. Let's say you are not in a familiar place and you want to change your passcode. You will be told Stolen Device Protection is active. To be able to carry out the passcode change, you have to select Start Security Delay to start a one-hour timer and then Done to continue using the iPhone. The setting will be changeable after that hour but, if the iPhone happened to be in the hands of a thief, this would give you sufficient time to take action. If you don't want to use Stolen Device Protection any more, you just need to toggle Stolen Device Protection to off. And there you go. You now know how to use Stolen Device Protection on iPhone. While you're here, why not take a look at our other useful guides? Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. It's always worth familiarising yourself with 3 simple tricks to protect your iPhone from thieves and, if you're buying a used phone, how to tell if it has a shady history. And, if you have iOS 26 Beta installed, check out how to get Liquid Glass icons on your iPhone. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
New York Times
30-06-2025
- New York Times
This iPhone Feature Makes It Much Harder for Thieves to Ruin Your Life
First, make sure your iPhone is running iOS 17.3 or later (earlier versions don't have this feature). Then open the Settings app, tap Face ID & Passcode , and toggle on Stolen Device Protection . (If you have an older iPhone with Touch ID, your settings will look different.) After you enable Stolen Device Protection, your iPhone will require additional authentication for the user to access some information, and it will also prevent certain changes if it detects that it isn't at a trusted location such as your house or your workplace. For example, if you try to change your Apple account password or your phone's passcode when your iPhone isn't at a trusted location, Stolen Device Protection requires you to wait an hour and then authenticate your identity a second time with Face ID or Touch ID. Even if a thief knows the passcode to unlock your iPhone, that delay gives you time to use Apple's Find My tool to remotely lock or wipe the stolen device. Without the delay, a thief could deactivate the anti-theft and security features using only your iPhone's passcode. You can also require a one-hour security delay on changes to your Apple account, even if you're at a familiar location. To activate it, go to the Stolen Device Protection page in Settings, and check Always in the section labeled Require Security Delay. This can prevent accidental changes, for example from handing your phone to a child to play with, but also guard against malicious activity in familiar locations. Stolen Device Protection also limits what information a thief can access on your iPhone by requiring biometric authentication (Face ID or Touch ID, depending on which iPhone you have) to do things like view saved passwords or make changes to an Apple savings account. This prevents thieves from using your unlocked iPhone to steal your money or open an Apple credit card in your name. The changes may in part be a response to reports of thieves snatching devices after observing iPhone owners logging in with their PIN. According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, iPhone thieves were able to steal money, open credit card accounts, and more once they access the devices. And thieves can completely lock victims out of their Apple accounts, making it very difficult for the victims to disable or track their stolen iPhones with Apple's Find My feature. Victims are sometimes unable to access their photos and files saved on iCloud as well. Stolen Device Protection makes it harder for thieves to use a stolen iPhone to ruin your life. It might pose an inconvenience for you in some moments, but it's still worth switching on.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Apple and Google clash with police and MPs over phone thefts
Senior figures at Apple and Google have clashed with the police over its recommendations for how best to deal with phone theft in the UK. The Met's James Conway told the Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee - which is considering the question - that two-thirds of thefts in London now relate to mobile phones. With up to 70% of knife crime linked to robbery, he told MPs that meant phone theft was "significantly driving parts of our violence problem". The Met wants phone companies to use the unique identifying number - known as an IMEI - that each device has to block any that are reported as stolen. But Apple and Google - who dominate the market - raised concerns about the idea. "Focusing on IMEI blocking might miss some of the problems," Apple's head of law enforcement requests, Gary Davis, told the committee. "We worry that there is a vector for fraud... we are concerned about a world where it would be a person who claims to be the owner who's asking." Stolen devices are blocked from being used in the UK by phone networks by using its IMEI, but this is not the case globally. This means a stolen phone can still be used in some other countries if a criminal is able to bypass the device's security. Thieves snatched his phone in London - it was in China a month later Met Police blitz to fight phone-snatching 'scourge' But Mr Davis said he was concerned that phone owners already face "extensive fraud attempts", which he estimated at more than a thousand people trying to access devices each month. "They do it for malicious purposes, they do it to maybe blackmail you," he said. "I would like to think in an area such as this our expertise built up over time in relation to attack vectors would mean something." The firms pointed out they have implemented several new safety features in the past 12 months to help combat phone theft. Apple has introduced Stolen Device Protection while Android - which is owned by Google - has brought in Theft Detection Lock. Police officers said they were looking for action from phone providers to help prevent further thefts. The Met's chief technology officer Darren Scates said 75% of phones which were stolen are moved abroad, with 28% ending up in either China or Hong Kong. "We're asking the cloud providers specifically to prevent a lost or stolen device from connecting to their cloud services," he said. "This doesn't even need to involve the police." He said they had been asking for this since October 2023, but had not yet been able to convince the firms to take action. Some MPs accused the two tech firms of lacking the will to take action. "You could tomorrow stop phones that are on the IMEI blacklist connecting back to your services if you so wished, both of you, and you won't do it," Lib Dem MP Martin Wrigley said. "I'm not saying that we won't do it," Google software engineering manager Simon Wingrove replied, adding the issue needed an industry-wide approach. He said the global database of IMEI numbers is built, maintained, populated, read and used by network carriers. "If we want to change that so that it becomes a database that is used by other actors to do other things to devices to block them in other ways, that is an industry-wide discussion that is not in my power as an engineer at Google," he said. "I think we need to decide as industry that is a safe and sensible thing to do." He pointed to Android's factory reset protection as an area it was continuing to work on to improve security and make it harder for thieves to reset stolen devices. "The most recent changes that we've announced we made in the most recent version of Android," he said. "We're really hopeful that we will see a significant impact - we haven't stopped investing in that." But one of the main threads of the day was a clash between MPs and Mr Davis over the market for second-hand parts. "I worry if we focus on IMEI blocking only you are going to miss the market for parts," he told the committee, to frustrations from those in attendance. "It's clear from the mood of the committee that we don't feel that either Google or Apple have a road plan to effective phone protection which does not involve IMEIs," Labour MP Chi Onwurah said. Apple is concerned that when devices are stolen, rather than being reused elsewhere they are instead being chopped up into component parts - like screens, processors and batteries - which can then be sold on for repairs. "Our best protection is Activation Lock," he said. "I understand you will take the view that it obviously mustn't be working because there are still devices being stolen. But that is the best protection." Activation Lock is a feature which links certain iPhone or iPad components to a person's Apple ID - meaning a person must use their password to allow these parts of their device to be used in repairs. The feature was well-received when it was announced in September as a way to deal with thieves. But the committee wanted to focus on blocking the IMEI of a stolen phone being used elsewhere. "It feels to a lot of people that you're dragging your feet," Conservative MP Kit Malthouse said. But Mr Davis said he felt Activation Lock was "a major step" in disrupting the second-hand market. "It could well be that IMEI blocking is a natural next step," he said. "However I would want to make sure that as part of all of that the Met police continues to do traditional policing, which means sending requests to us for stolen devices, and Apple responding to those requests. "We're not seeing that, and I think it's very important." Sign up for our Tech Decoded newsletter to follow the world's top tech stories and trends. Outside the UK? Sign up here.
CNET
31-05-2025
- General
- CNET
How to Enable Stolen Device Protection on Your iPhone in a Few Easy Steps
If someone takes your iPhone, you might panic. Replacing an iPhone could cost over a thousand dollars, which is not fun, but if the culprit knows your passcode, they could access your messages, photos and other sensitive information. Enabling a feature called Stolen Device Protection can help alleviate some of the stress you might feel if this ever happens to you. Apple introduced Stolen Device Protection when the company released iOS 17.3 in January 2024. The feature aims to protect your data if your phone is stolen or falls into nefarious hands. "Stolen Device Protection adds a layer of security when your iPhone is away from familiar locations, such as home or work, and helps protect your accounts and personal information in case your iPhone is ever stolen," Apple wrote online. Here's how to enable Stolen Device Protection and what to know about the new security feature. Read more: How to Make Your iPhone's Stolen Device Protection More Effective How to turn Stolen Device Protection on Here's how to enable this security feature: 1. Open Settings. 2. Tap Face ID & Passcode -- you might have to enter your passcode. 3. Tap Stolen Device Protection. 4. Tap the toggle next to Stolen Device Protection to enable the feature. Read more: How to Give Stolen Device Protection a Boost What to know about Stolen Device Protection Stolen Device Protection adds a layer of security to your iPhone. Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto/Getty Images As CNET's David Lumb reports, Stolen Device Protection requires you to enter your biometric information at least once to access some of your sensitive settings and information when you're not in a familiar location, like your home. Here are some of the things Apple said you'll need to enter your biometric information for in order to change or access when you're in an unfamiliar location: Using passwords or passkeys saved in your Keychain. Using payment methods saved in Safari that autofill. Turning off Lost Mode Erasing all content and settings on your iPhone. Applying for a new Apple Card. Viewing your Apple Card's virtual number. Taking certain Apple Cash and Savings actions in your Wallet, like initiating a transfer. Using your iPhone to set up a new device. The feature also uses a new mechanism called Security Delay when changing some settings. If you try to change these settings when away from a familiar location, Stolen Device Protection will require you to enter your biometric info twice: once initially and then again after an hour. According to Apple, if you arrive at a familiar location while waiting for the Security Delay to end, your device could prematurely end the delay. Here are some of the things Apple said are protected by Security Delay: Turning Stolen Device Protection off. Changing your Apple ID password. Signing out of your Apple ID. Updating your Apple ID account security settings, like adding or removing trusted devices. Adding or removing Face ID or Touch ID information. Changing your iPhone passcode. Resetting all your iPhone's settings. Turning Find My off. You can also choose to always require Security Delay, even when you're in a familiar location. That way if your iPhone goes missing in the building you live in or another location your iPhone recognizes as a familiar, you'll still have this layer of protection. Here's how to always enable Security Delay. 1. Open Settings. 2. Tap Face ID & Passcode -- you might have to enter your passcode. 3. Tap Stolen Device Protection. 4. Tap the toggle next to Stolen Device Protection to enable the feature if you haven't. 5. Tap Always under Require Security Delay. You can still make purchases with Apple Pay if Stolen Device Protection is turned on. Budrul Chukrut/SOPA/LightRocket/Getty Images Because Stolen Device Protection only protects a handful of settings, you still have to take steps to protect your other information. For example, Apple notes that you can still use your iPhone passcode to make purchases with Apple Pay, so Stolen Device Protection won't totally protect your finances. While Stolen Device Protection is an optional feature and doesn't protect everything on your phone, Apple still recommends everyone turn it on. For more iOS news, here's all the features included in iOS 18.5 and iOS 18.4. You can also check out our iOS 18 cheat sheet and what we hope to see in iOS 19.
Forbes
24-04-2025
- Forbes
Stolen iPhone—Here's What To Do Now To Protect Your Data
Here's what to do if your iPhone is stolen, including how to activate Apple's Stolen Device ... More Protection features now. Stolen iPhones are not a new concept, thieves have been grabbing smartphones for years. But the amount that's lost when your iPhone is stolen is growing, as people spend more on devices and keep all their data and banking information inside. The risk of a stolen iPhone is so big that Apple has introduced a range of features under its Stolen Device Protection update. These allow you to lock your iPhone if it is taken and wipe it so thieves can't access your data. The feature was added after pressure from the press following a number of cases where criminals had stolen iPhones and accessed accounts, causing lasting damage. But some iPhone users don't think Apple is doing enough to stop this epidemic as a theft victim has filed a case against it in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The plaintiff is seeking access to data worth two terabytes encompassing their 'entire digital life, including that of his family,' alongside $5 million in damages, according to The Washington Post. The victim, who had his iPhone stolen in Arizona, said the device held crucial information related to his tax filings and research and therefore claimed the theft led to shutdown of his tech consulting firm. Here's what to do if you iPhone is stolen — and how to reduce the impact now in case criminals do get hold of your device. If your iPhone has been stolen, hopefully you have enabled Stolen Device Protection already. Either way, there are some steps you can take immediately to try and reduce the impact from thieves. Even if you use Stolen Device Protection for iPhone, the additional protections for your iPhone will only last for a certain period of time, Apple says on its support page. The best way to protect your iPhone and Apple Account is to quickly mark the stolen device as lost. First log onto iCloud/find and sign in using your Apple ID. Then select your missing iPhone from the list, select Lost Mode and enable this. You can also use iCloud/find to see your iPhone's current location. The next thing to do is notify law enforcement and your mobile provider, so the latter can help prevent any further data loss by suspending your account. You may also be able to file an insurance claim for your device. Sadly, yes, a thief can unlock your iPhone if it is in Lost Mode, if they have access to your passcode or Apple ID. The attacker can then log into your iPhone and disable Lost Mode giving them access to your device and its data. This is why it's integral these are secure and you use a lengthy PIN to protect your device, as well as Face ID. Shield your iPhone when entering these credentials so attackers can't shoulder surf and view your details. Consider changing your Apple ID, especially if the password is not very secure and easy to guess. Attackers will often brute force passwords, allowing them to guess the more easy ones. You might also want to change other important credentials such as your email and banking app to prevent attackers accessing this valuable data. If there is no way you will recover your iPhone, Apple outlines steps you can take to wipe it on its support page linked above. If you have AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss, don't remove the device from your Apple Account (or from Find My) until your claim has been fully approved, Apple advises. Look at for scams. Apple will never contact you to say that your iPhone or iPad has been found, the iPhone maker warns on its website. 'Never share your device passcode or other account information (such as passwords or verification codes) with anyone else. Stay vigilant to avoid social engineering schemes, including phishing messages, fake support calls and other scams.' Stolen Device Protection will help protect your iPhone in the event that it is stolen. Go To Settings > Privacy and Security > Stolen Device Protection and toggle the switch to on. You can also require a security delay Always, or Away From Familiar Locations such as your home to prevent crucial settings such as your Apple ID being changed by someone else. Stolen Device Protection will help protect your iPhone in the event that it is stolen. Go To ... More Settings, Privacy And Security, Stolen Device Protection and toggle the switch to on. The security of your iPhone starts at home. Ensure that your PIN is difficult to crack, using the longest combination of numbers possible. Where possible in your apps and for passwords, ensure you are enabling two-factor authentication and regularly updating software. Disabling Control Center prevents thieves from turning on Aeroplane Mode or altering other settings without unlocking the phone, says Santo Ludy, managing director at tech outfit BecexTech. 'Keeping Aeroplane Mode off means your device stays connected, which is crucial for tracking it via Find My iPhone,' he says. In Settings > Face ID & Passcode, scroll to Allow Access When Locked and disable Control Center. It might be more convenient but Lundy advises you to avoid saving passwords in browsers or apps without encryption. Instead, use a secure password manager that requires authentication. 'This prevents thieves from accessing your accounts with saved login details, and turning off auto-login/autofill adds another barrier to unauthorised access.' In Settings > Passwords > Autofill Passwords, toggle off the autofill option. You can use Apple's Passwords App for this, which has many of the features of traditional password managers such as 1Password and LastPass. Another useful iPhone setting is the ability to wipe all your data so thieves can't get hold of it. Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode and enable Erase Data. This feature automatically wipes your iPhone's data after 10 failed passcode attempts, Lundy says. To make it more effective, upgrade from a simple 4-digit code to a strong alphanumeric passcode, which is much harder to crack. People keep quite literally a wealth of data in their Apple Wallets, so ensure this isn't available on the Lock Screen where someone else might get at it. In Settings > Face ID & Passcode, toggle off Wallet under Allow Access When Locked. This blocks access to payment cards, transit passes or event tickets stored in Apple Wallet when your phone is locked, preventing unauthorised purchases or use, Lundy says. Some hacking tools can use USB connections to brute-force a passcode, so disabling this feature can help protect your data if your iPhone is stolen, says Lundy. In Settings > Face ID & Passcode, ensure USB Accessories is turned off. A SIM PIN ensures that if your SIM is removed and inserted into another device, it cannot be used without a code, Lundy says. This stops thieves from receiving two-factor authentication codes or impersonating you. Navigate to Settings > Mobile > SIM PIN to set a passcode for your SIM card. Apple iPhone snatching often occurs while the device is in active use and unlocked. 'Reducing your auto-lock time limits the window of opportunity for a thief to access your personal data,' Lundy says. Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock and set it to 30 seconds. If you are lucky enough not to have had your iPhone stolen, taking some small steps to protect it will help protect your data. If your iPhone has been taken, commiserations — ensure you take the steps outlined above to prevent thieves from accessing it and then take action to prevent it from happening again.
