This little trick will help users protect their data in case their phone is stolen by thieves. Photo: 9to5Mac.
In late February, the Wall Street Journal published an article about a series of cases where iPhone users were being tracked by hackers who then stole their devices to gain access to the victims’ stored data.
Once they know the iPhone passcode, thieves can change the password associated with the victim’s Apple ID, lock the account, and access all the files stored in iCloud. They can also access financial apps, such as banking apps, thanks to the passcode.
With knowledge of the iPhone’s passcode, thieves can easily reset the victim’s Apple ID password within the Settings app, even if Face ID or Touch ID is enabled. They can then disable the Find My iPhone feature on the phone, preventing the owner from tracking its location or remotely erasing the device via iCloud.
By default, the iPhone passcode is used to access the owner’s entire data. Therefore, to avoid unfortunate situations, users should add an extra layer of security to their iCloud accounts.
This can be done directly in the Settings app on the iPhone through the Screen Time feature.
To enhance iPhone security, users simply need to add a Screen Time passcode to their iCloud settings. This passcode will prevent thieves from accessing the user’s iCloud settings.
Steps to set up the Screen Time passcode feature on iPhone.
If the phone is unfortunately stolen and the thief attempts to change the password, they will have to go through an additional passcode layer. During this time, the user simply needs to access the Find My app and put their iPhone in Lost Mode.
To set this up, users go to Settings -> Screen Time -> Content & Privacy Restrictions and enable this feature.
After that, scroll to the bottom of the screen and tap on Change Account -> select Don’t Allow.
Next, go back to Screen Time, scroll down, and tap on Use Screen Time Passcode.
Here, users can set an additional secure password for their iCloud account. This Screen Time passcode feature was originally designed for parents to limit their child’s phone usage or prevent them from making in-app purchases.
How to change the password to include both letters and numbers on iPhone.
Additionally, users can enhance iPhone security by using a passcode that includes both letters and numbers. This type of password is much harder to steal or guess compared to a regular PIN code.
To set up a strong passcode that includes both letters and numbers, users go to Settings -> Face ID & Passcode -> Change Passcode. Then, tap on Passcode Options and switch to a passcode that includes both letters and numbers.
This method may be slightly inconvenient when the owner needs to unlock their phone. However, iPhone models from iPhone X and newer already have the Face ID facial recognition feature. Users only need to enter the passcode after restarting the device.
Source: Zing