Apple’s Activation Lock Leads To Big Drops In Smartphone Theft Worldwide

[Victorious Secret]

 

 

Im shocked that others haven't rolled out similar/more secure features as part of their OSs, because Activation Lock is probably one of the most genius things that anyone could do for device security. Its a right pain when you forget to deactivate it on your own and actually sell the device, but its practically a lifesaver in the event of theft. 

 

I've had the misfortune of losing a device, Activation lock effectively turns it into a brick. Even DFU restoring and using tricks will leave the device either A. Still locked, waiting for my authorization or B. cripple the cellular portion so all you have is a very fancy iPod Touch. No wonder thefts of these devices have started to tank when the reward just isn't there anymore. Unless you have intimate knowledge of someones Apple ID password and device passcode, you've got a snowballs chance in hell of getting it to work. 

 

 

A new report from Reuters found that iPhone theft dropped by 50 percent in London, 40 percent in San Francisco and 25 percent in New York. The drops represent theft activity as measured during the 12 months following Apple’s introduction of the remote locking feature in September 2013 as part of iOS 7. With iOS 8, Apple made its so-called said “kill switch” active by default, in accordance with California regulation, and that should help the rates of theft continue to trend downwards.

 

Apple’s Activation Lock requires a user to authorize a wipe or fresh install using the existing iCloud credentials on record, ensuring that a thief can’t go ahead and just wipe the device easily to use it themselves or prepare it for sale on the secondary market. Apple is one of the first major manufacturers to switch to implementing the system by default, rather than through user opt-in, which means it should be present on far more devices. All new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus units, for instance, will have it on be default given that they shipped with iOS 8 pre-installed.

 

Stats from last year indicated that Apple’s implementation of the Activation Lock were having a significant effect, but Apple’s combined iOS 8 adoption rate (currently at over 70 percent) and the fact that it’s now on by default means that the risk associated with stealing a modern iOS device is even greater.

 

http://techcrunch.com/2015/02/11/apples-activation-lock-leads-to-big-drops-in-smartphone-theft-worldwide/

[HeathCliff]

Really nice to see Apple stepping up the game in security. I really wish this would get more manufactures to incorporate similar features on thier own products.

[Mew]

One way to ensure someone doesn't turn on airplane mode in the event that your phone gets stolen should turn off control center on the locksreen

[hiyayhi]

LOL get rekt nasty pasty robbers. Can't make a quick buck.

 

But seriously google, implement something like this.

[Bensemus]

One way to ensure someone doesn't turn on airplane mode in the event that your phone gets stolen should turn off control center on the locksreen

I thought of that but I use the control centre to toggle blue tooth, flashlight and wifi from the lock screen. I wish they gave you the option to take airplane mode out of that menu. Would be a much better solution.

[Mew]

Bensemus, on 11 Feb 2015 - 12:53 PM, said:

I thought of that but I use the control centre to toggle blue tooth, flashlight and wifi from the lock screen. I wish they gave you the option to take airplane mode out of that menu. Would be a much better solution.

 

With how well touch id works, I could sacrifice the slight inconvenience to make sure Find my iPhone doesn't become useless  

[Mr crabcake]

I wish they gave you the option to take airplane mode out of that menu.

 

*cough* Jailbreak *cough*

[Butterhörnchen]

One way to ensure someone doesn't turn on airplane mode in the event that your phone gets stolen should turn off control center on the locksreen

Why would you wanna do that? The thief can easily turn off the iPhone and remove the SIM card.

[sof006]

Why would you wanna do that? The thief can easily turn off the iPhone and remove the SIM card.

Doesn't work like that. If the phone has find my iphone turned on the only way to remove it is if the thief has access to the phone holders password which I doubt they have. So their iCloud details are completely tied to that device, if you try to turn find my iphone off it'll ask for a password. 

[Butterhörnchen]

DP

[Butterhörnchen]

Doesn't work like that. If the phone has find my iphone turned on the only way to remove it is if the thief has access to the phone holders password which I doubt they have. So their iCloud details are completely tied to that device, if you try to turn find my iphone off it'll ask for a password.

Yes sure I have an iPhone my self I know that. But I'm talking about turning off Controllcenter because you don't want someone activating airplane mode. But that doesn't change anything.

[Nup]

Nice to see its working well It'll be great when this is a standard!

 

Thanks for the post!

[razor767]

That's actually pretty awesome. 

[Tonylu1595]

I wonder, is there already software out there that will crack/bypass this?

[BrianPena]

My dad has gotten his iPhone 6+ stolen twice within a month. Granted one of those times was mostly his fault for letting it lie around randomly. I guess those theives haven't gotten the memo though lol.

[theloveablemoose]

My dad has gotten his iPhone 6+ stolen twice within a month. Granted one of those times was mostly his fault for letting it lie around randomly. I guess those theives haven't gotten the memo though lol.

Hope he has insurance lol.

[BrianPena]

Hope he has insurance lol.

Nope haha. He could get another one if he wants but he is just going to go for a cheaper phone so thieves won't be so inclined to steal it.

[theloveablemoose]

Nope haha. He could get another one if he wants but he is just going to go for a cheaper phone so thieves won't be so inclined to steal it.

So iPhone 5?

[BrianPena]

So iPhone 5?

That's actually the back up phone he is using right now. I think he is going for an HTC one or something.

[Bensemus]

With how well touch id works, I could sacrifice the slight inconvenience to make sure Find my iPhone doesn't become useless

I have a 5 so i don't have touch ID 

[Bensemus]

*cough* Jailbreak *cough*

ya ya I am not going to jail break it for that one feature. If there is more I want I might but I've never felt the need so far. 

[mr moose]

so what's the difference between this and reporting any phone stolen (isn't there a list of stolen IMEI numbers that can't be reactivated)?

[Analog]

I wonder, is there already software out there that will crack/bypass this?

 

There is. I am from Europe and in our part of the world there are all of these little Pakistani shops where they crack this in the matter of minutes. My gf forgot her password on her iPhone 5s and we just took it to one of these shops and got it fixed for 15 euros ~ 17 USD and it only took like half an hour. I am not really into phones, but when we got it back I noticed that the IMEI shown on in iOS was different than the one on the phone itself, something which should be impossible. 

[Tech_Dreamer]

Kewl, But i still think Apple has a built in backdoor for NSA or whatever,this just blocks 2 & 3rd party as far as i'm concerned even tho they publically said that they don't let anyone access their phone data, Big Companies ALWAYS lie straight to your face...

[Victorious Secret]

so what's the difference between this and reporting any phone stolen (isn't there a list of stolen IMEI numbers that can't be reactivated)?

 

This can be done in conjunction with reporting a IMEI as stolen. 

This way permanently bricks the phone. It can't be activated, it can't even make it past the "setup" screen where it asks for the prior owners login information AND the best part is that the previous owner can remote wipe the phone the next time it comes into WiFi/Data range, but those wipes still don't remove the activation lock so you still need to login. The only way to disable this system is to do it from the phone settings, which requires the users account password anyways and physical access to the device.