iPhone 14's Face ID lock allows access to apps via notifications

zarko272 wrote:

i did notice on my iphone 14 that even with face id lock i can touch some incoming notification on lock screen and enter the app which sends it after which phone is completely unlocked!! this is very dangerous because if someone steal your iphone will have access to it while android/samsung i did used before seems have safeguards against that so you cant even open notification without fingerprint unlock, apple should ASAP patch this security hole!

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Iphone lock screen behaviour

I'm not sure I understand the issue? If you have Face ID on your phone, when you look at your phone, Face ID knows it's you and when you tap a notification on your lock screen, it would logically take you to the app if the notification is from an app, because it knows YOU are looking at your screen. If the screen is locked and someone other than you picks up your phone and a notification arrives on the lock screen and someone else tries to tap the notification, it won't open, but WILL go to the passcode screen for whoever has your phone in their hands to enter the passcode. And of course you should never give your passcode to someone else, so the app won't open if they tap it.

This is NOT a security risk, so again, I'm not sure what the issue is you think is going on?

Also make sure you have covered the camera with an opaque material and leave it on while testing. The camera is very good at detecting you with just a glimpse of your face and will remain unlocked for a short period of time. Covering the camera rules out any chance of that happening.

• Face ID will continue to attempt to recognize your face even when you are prompted for the Passcode.
• Notifications do not appear on the screen where you are required to enter your Passcode, so they must have been on the Lock Screen.
• After your Face is recognized, the device will remain unlocked for a short period of time. You will see the lock icon on the top of the screen when it is locked and after your Face is detected there is a quick animation showing the lock being unlocked, then it is removed from the screen. Do you see the lock icon on the top of the screen when you tap the Notification?

If you really think it is a software bug, then that would be seen on every news outlet and there would be an uproar with the millions of devices that are out there. That is not the case. You can certainly make an appointment with Apple where it should be easy to reproduce.

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

If you feel that you’ve uncovered a security vulnerability, the official / formal mechanism to report it to Apple is here:

Report a security or privacy vulnerability - Apple Support

This was included in multiple prior replies but as a sub-link; which a “cursory scan” might have overlooked.

If merited, maybe you’ll collect a Bug Bounty.

Best of luck. 👋

Good, since you have more than a decade in IT, you’ll appreciate that reporting an issue requires the person experiencing the issue to report it. That way, if a hardware or software engineer can’t duplicate the issue they have a contract that can explain how to duplicate the issue. That’s how IT (and Apple) work. Here are the links to report your issue,

Product Feedback - Apple

You can also download the Feedback app and use its reporting feature. You’ll have access to app by registering at the link below.

Apple Beta

It’s probably a hardware issue the result of a prior repair. I tried this on multiple iPhones in my household, going back as far as iPhone XR and iPhone 7 with Touch ID and it’s a non-issue. Just to be sure, I’ve asked my granddaughter to check on her iPhone 14 PM, in case it’s isolated to iPhone 14 series.

Put A piece of tape over the Face ID (TrueDepth) camera and then lock your screen. When a notification comes in tap it and post what happens please.

If you believe it to be a software issue, report it via the Feedback link already provided.

zarko272 wrote:

"If you really think it is a software bug, then that would be seen on every news outlet and there would be an uproar with the millions of devices that are out there"

Believe it or not thats how is supposed to work my iphone 14 purchased from legally reseller of my country here i have another device for test, i will not tell which brand and guess what, it wont allow me to see even news report without putting password while my iphone 14 still failed :)

What do you hope to accomplish by arguing with your fellow users? Is there some part of this is a user to user only forum, which no one from Apple (except moderators) participate, nor read for user feedback, do you not understand?

Your phone doesn't work as mine does. And apparently it doesn't work like Jeff Donald's does. It doesn't work like the other iPhone in our home does. So logically, if you think there's an issue with YOUR iPhone, either take it to your closest Apple Store for evaluation or at least provide feedback to Apple.

zarko272 wrote:

sure if problem continue to behave like this in future i would report it

Do it now. Sounds like it is not reproducible since you said "if" the problem continues you would report it. That would indicate it was likely the case that your phone was unlocked by you and you were not aware that it saw you.

Cover the camera on the top of your phone and record a video. Don't bother with the vague "placed phone sideways near monitor and little far from me", and actually do the work that is essential for any IT support to reproduce. The video should clearly show that you opened the notification with the Lock icon on the top of the screen. It really is not that difficult. Submit that to the site proved by Chattanoogan and you may even get a bounty reward.

zarko272 wrote:

oh yeah, if i must describe this so precisely, phone was on desk, close to monitor I am sitting on a computer chair with a backrest while the phone is placed sideways once again, just for this stupid test so that the camera is not there, it cannot scan my face and unlock the phone, which I confirmed by the fact that the face id did not pass and that I had to type in the code, but I clicked on cancel, stretched my hand to the phone without moving my head at all, clicked twice with my finger to turn on the screen, clicked on the notification and I managed to unlock the phone without face id and without a password, if this really does not happen to anyone happens, which I suspect, then it must be a software bug that needs to be resolved

[Edited by Moderator]

Again, we aren't Apple here. If you think there's an issue, tell Apple by using the link I provided to you.

lobsterghost1 wrote:

Your phone doesn't work as mine does. And apparently it doesn't work like Jeff Donald's does. It doesn't work like the other iPhone in our home does. So logically, if you think there's an issue with YOUR iPhone, either take it to your closest Apple Store for evaluation or at least provide feedback to Apple.

Or mine.

zarko272 wrote:

yeah, i did know that will get this type of reply, I'm sitting at the computer right now, I put my phone laying on desk few meters away from me for testing purpose so i know about what im talking, i received in meanwhile notification, face id didnt recognized me so i must enter passcode, i touched notification without even looking at screen direction and guess what, ios let me enter app and when i closed it phone is unlocked :)

Tape over the Face ID sensor with a yellow sticky note or such, verify that notification previews (image shown below) are not always accessible, and test again. If that allows access, then you have a bug report for Apple.

HOW are you tapping a notification on your iPhone screen which is sitting a "few meters" from you? You must have an amazingly long arm. Either way, you aren't speaking with anyone from Apple here. This is a user to user only forum, which Apple doesn't participate, nor read for user feedback. Feel free to share your thoughts here --> Feedback - iPhone - Apple