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What happens if a thief has my unlocked phone? I want to be able to turn off "trusted devices" so that someone who has my phone is not getting two factor requests when I am trying to recover my account from them
iPhone 6s, iOS 15
To edit your list of trusted items refer to the section: About trusted phone numbers and trusted devices in the document Two-factor authentication for Apple ID - Apple Support
To see, add, or change your trusted phone numbers:
- On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch: Go to Settings > your name > Password & Security. Next to Trusted Phone Number, tap Edit.
- On a Mac: Choose Apple menu > System Settings (or System Preferences), then click your name (or Apple ID). Click Password & Security, then add or remove a trusted phone number.
- In a web browser: Go to the Account Security section of https://appleid.apple.com/
To edit your list of trusted items refer to the section: About trusted phone numbers and trusted devices in the document Two-factor authentication for Apple ID - Apple Support
To see, add, or change your trusted phone numbers:
- On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch: Go to Settings > your name > Password & Security. Next to Trusted Phone Number, tap Edit.
- On a Mac: Choose Apple menu > System Settings (or System Preferences), then click your name (or Apple ID). Click Password & Security, then add or remove a trusted phone number.
- In a web browser: Go to the Account Security section of https://appleid.apple.com/
Thanks for the substantive reply.
These discussions are valuable in stripping-back the hype and getting to the “fact-based truths” of the matter.
There indeed is added risk when a phone is unlocked. (just like there’s added risk when you pull out your wallet and “expose” your cash and ccards.)
Re: your added observations
1) you can always “unmark as lost” an iOS device by entering it’s passcode; you’re correct that a thief probably would use FindMy to do this.
And … 2) you can always mark a stolen device as “lost” from icloud/find.
Again for emphasis … a thief can’t inhibit your MarkAsLost access from icloud/find
The previously “widely reported in the media” vulnerabilities DID INDEED allow critical account changes to be made while “simply” unlocked.
iOS has recently been updated so as to require re-entry of the passcode - even if already unlocked - to make these types changes.
That said…
An argument could be made that fundamentally too much personal data AND account control IS still made available via mobile devices …
… thus making threats (or acts) of “physical coercion” more likely … but any discussion of conceptual iOS security re-architecting is FAR beyond the scope of this forum.
Lastly, as far as FaceID, it too can be disabled “on the fly” - so as to require passcode re-entry - such as when one finds him/herself in “sketchy” situations.
Chattanoogan,
This is not an issue of hype, these are genuine crime victims, this is a real vulnerability, and I want some protection against it. Simply allowing users to choose would solve the entire thing. There is no reason every device you log into needs to be trusted.
To be clear, these users did not have their phones unlocked. These were two man cons where one stood behind the victim and watched the passcode get entered. The other grabbed the phone. So, they have the passcode.
Apple told these people that the phone is the account, not them. They lost their accounts, Apple refused to restore their access. You mentioned banks and credit cards. Banks don't say whoever has my card owns my accounts, if someone grabs my wallet, I can lock and cancel the cards immediately.
Additionally, there's no reason to discuss physical coercion, this is not at all about that.
I tried marking one of my phones as lost, and I was not asked for my passcode. Of course, again, we are talking about what happens if the thief has the passcode.
Any phone should be able to lock everyone out of all devices and need to reenter the *password* to get back in.
I don't use email on my phone, and I can remove my phone number from the cell remotely if I choose, so traditional 2FA would work fine for me if I were allowed to eliminate the "trusted devices".
No one has ever contended that compromise of a device passcode is anything other than gravely injurious to security.
Protection of the passcode IS critical and all possible methods must be continuously employed to ensure that it’s not inadvertently divulged.
Your stated desire to NOT receive (and presumably to ALSO not be able to generate) 2FA Verification Codes on a mobile device signed-in to an AppleID is not a current option.
You can make your desires known to Apple via:
Re: “… so that if it is stolen while it is unlocked … it [iPhone] cannot get two factor requests“
This was an intriguing scenario which I just tested.*
See if these findings answer your questions (and allay your fears):
* Test platform was iPhone 6s running iOS 12.5.7; with no other Trusted Devices on it’s AppleID.
So it might be said that activating Lost Mode does indeed make the device “Less than Fully Trusted.”
(Lost Mode additionally de-authorizes any credit cards in the the “lost” device’s ApplePay wallet)
Limnos,
The only way to stop your device from being trusted is to log it out of the account. That is not what I want to do.
I want the device that I use all of the time, the one I have with me, NOT to be a trusted device but still be on my account, so that if it is stolen while it is unlocked, it cannot get two factor requests.
If the device is stolen and I need to log on from another device, I don't want the thief to be able to deny my own attempts to get into my account. I need my account to be controlled by ME, not the device.
Also, to be clear, I am not talking about phone numbers, I have that handled. I am talking about two factor requests going to the *device*.
Correction to post immediately above.
iOS of iPhone 6s test platform was actually the “most current” 15.7.6. (vice the “12.5.7” originally posted)
Clearly another cup of Saturday Morning coffee is in order. 😲
Chattanoogan, thank you for your response.
But - consider. You're at a bar. Someone has either grabbed your phone while it is unlocked, or grabbed it while it was locked because someone else behind you watched you enter your code. (This has been happening in NYC bars)
You might have an old phone... at home. You have to get there. Meanwhile, they have your phone and it is trusted. They have plenty of time to mark all your other devices lost before you do. They've done this before, they have a routine and they can do it quickly.
You try to log into your account from a web browser, and the thief is the one who gets the 2FA message. They laugh and tell your phone not to trust you logging in from anywhere else.
What if your "trusted device" can't be trusted?
