Strange passcode dialog: feature or malware?

PiggyBlack wrote:

Happened to me this lunchtime running iPhone 6 on iOS 9.3.1

I saw the message and pressed LATER but within 5 mins it was back... the message then changed to EMERGENCY or CHANGE - the home button didn't work and I had no option but to change the passcode... I changed it to itself without any problem but now really concern about Malware on the phone.

I have no corporate email/profile accounts on my phone but I do have the iTunesConnect app on my phone (installed last week) as I track sales of my book.

To come back to your original post, go to Settings/General/Device Management. First, does the setting exist? If it does tap on it and you will see profiles. One of those is a security profile that has added this requirement. It could be the iTunesConnect app; try contacting Apple's provider support and asking them.

no such option... Settings/General/Device Management

This has happened to me two times with the same phone.

iPhone 6plus/ 9.3.1

The first time however, as I attempted to change my password, it would not accept it. It said it was incorrect. I actually had to manually erase my phone through iCloud.com It literally locked me out of my phone until I erased it. Completely inconvenient.

Then after I restored my phone, I created a new password.

It was good for a couple a months until I got the message again: must change your password in 60 minutes. So I did. But this time it asked me to go from a 6 digit to a four digit. What?! I did, but then went back in manually and changed it back to a 6 digit.

I have no clue why this happens. It's very frustrating since I travel for work and I am basically useless without a functioning phone.

-only personal use

-no exchange accounts, no MDM

-latest software update installed

-not jailbroken

I have no idea why this happens!!!

This happened to me last night on my iPhone 5, I was using my phone and it came up "you much change your passcode in 60 min" I ignored and 2 minutes later it came up again "must update in 58 min". Well this got me worrying like why do I have to change my passcode? Is it a scam? Is it just an apple requirement (as I have never changed my password)? I have never seen anything like it before with previous phones. So I resorted to google and found nothing relvent to myself, but it hadn't popped up so I assumed it had gone.

However I woke this morning to my phone not working until I change my passcode through the small pop-up box. I've tried re-starting my phone, re-booting etc. But it is still there .

Is it safe for me to change my password? What should I do???

@E43 and @R4X

Go to your Settings/General/Profiles & Device Management. If you have mail program installed (listed), then 'tap' on it. There is a restriction feature that force you to change your passcode after 90 days. I had it on my phone since it's part of my office work email, unfortunately I can't change it. the purpose is to guarantee its security. If there isn't any mail program on it, then you might want to go to Apple store, ask those geniuses over there. Hope this helps.

No such place as Settings/General/Profiles & Device Management on my iPhone.

@PiggyBlack

Go to the top of the settings. Use the 'seach' feature, type 'Profile'. It will take you there.

Yep, tried that before but when it shows up in the search and I press it it just takes me to the General section - No Profiles on device.

@Piggy Black....

Scroll down, it should be on the bottom. Here's my screen shot.

Nope... this option only show up (as per the above comments) if you have got it connected via a Exchange service or corporate services account (or you have it linked through a iCloud account.

Just FYI for anyone that might have this happen to them. It happened to me this morning. I looked at this thread and decided to call Apple myself. They said that it is a fraudulent pop up and to ignore it. I asked them if it in anyway compromised my phone and they said no.

Just happened to me as well. Makes no sense as there are no profiles or corporate logins configured on my phone. Only my Gmail account. The prompt popped up every time I locked and unlocked my phone, and was counting down from 60 minutes. I disabled the passcode and re-enabled it with my same code and the prompts stopped. Only side effect is that disabling the passcode deleted my credit card in Apple Pay. I am on an iPhone 6S with iOS 9.3.1

I posted on 4/1/16 that I had called AppleCare and was told that this passcode change requirement message was prompted by Apple's software (s/w) and that it wasn't malware. I have seen some posts since in which people express concern or that they were told the message was fraudulent, so I re-called AppleCare to confirm. The rep (Mike) knew about the issue immediately and gave a great explanation. He said that the message is in the phones's s/w for corporate phone management purposes. This message can be activated by a company's system administrator when the company has issued phones to its employees and wants the employees to change their passcodes on a periodic basis to aid in the security of corporate devices. For some reason this message is occasionally activated by personally owned phones. He said to ignore it and not to be concerned - it isn't malware. Hope this helps!

I recently had the same message pop up on my iPhone 6. I was able to get around it by first clicking the "later" option, then going into the Touch ID and Passcode page of settings. To access this page you have to enter your passcode. Once I did that I closed settings, locked my iPhone and then reopened it and the message no longer popped up saying I was required to change my passcode in X minutes.

Thanks brs17, this worked for me also.

Only difference was it required me to change my Passcode immediately, so with the dialog up, I held the home button to use Siri requesting to open the Settings section, then with the dialog still up to change the passcode I clicked Emergency to get the number pad to call then I clicked cancel. From there it had me in the Settings section to then access the Passcode section.