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Apple’s latest software update, 17.3, has an important feature that you should stop right now to activate whatever you’re doing.
Is called Stolen device protectionand while the exact crime it protects against could be “strange”According to Apple, a couple of tech journalists and thousands of victims who have lost millions of dollars disagree.
“Many weekends I wake up to emails from victims telling me this exact thing just happened to them. “They’ve lost decades of saved photos and items, and were shocked to learn their iPhone wasn’t as protected as they thought,” said the Wall Street Journal’s senior personal technology columnist. Joanna Stern He told me in a telephone interview.
Stern and colleague Nicole Nguyen He spent the last year reporting on a growing crime around the world: where thieves exploit vulnerabilities in Apple (and humans) software.
Criminals get someone to reveal their password (they often take advantage of people in bars and pretend to want to share contacts) or simply film someone unlocking their phone. The moment they get the password, they also take the real phone.
When victims realize their phone is gone, they can no longer access their device and a crime wave is underway.
“This was a pretty easy trick. Get the access code, get the phone, get the money,” Stern explains. “$10,000 is the minimum amount that is typically stolen (from a victim), with the maximum being about $50,000” from a single stolen phone. Stern also said that more recently, this particular social engineering crime is increasingly targeting more seniors.
“We don’t know exact statistics on this (crime), but I’ve spoken to law enforcement authorities in cities around the world who say, ‘It’s becoming a big problem and we don’t know what to do about it,'” Stern adds.
While law enforcement may not be able to stop this new wave of outbursts and outbursts, Apple’s latest version Stolen device protection feature sure can. “You don’t lose anything by turning it on,” Stern agrees.
How to activate stolen device protection
Make sure your iPhone is running the latest operating system, which is 17.3. The easiest way to check this is to go to Settings > General > Software Update.
From here go to settings. Start typing “Stolen Device Protection” in the search bar at the top of the screen. You should see the option to tap it immediately. Then Apple says:
Even if you have “Automatic Updates” is set to “On”, you often have to go to your settings and tap it manually to turn it on. (I don’t know exactly why, but everyone I know has to do it manually, even if they have this feature “on”).
- On an iPhone with Face ID: Tap Face ID & Password, then enter your password.
- On an iPhone with a Home button: Tap Touch ID & Password, then enter your password.
Scroll down to the Stolen Device Protection section and then tap Turn on protection.Note: If you do not see the Stolen Device Protection section, you may need to place above facial identification either touch id first.
What does this new configuration do?
Once you have activated this feature, a thief can’t just walk in and leave you out. Your iPhone now requires additional authentication to access certain information. It also prevents certain changes if it detects that you are not in a trusted place, such as your home or office.
In that case, Apple notes that you must authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID before you can perform certain actions, including:
- Use passwords or access keys saved in Keychain
- Use saved payment methods in Safari (autofill)
- Disable lost mode
- Erase all content and settings
- Request a new Apple Card
- View your Apple Card virtual card number
- Perform certain Apple Cash and Savings actions in Wallet (for example, Apple Cash or Savings transfers)
- Use your iPhone to set up a new device (for example, Quick Start)
To make sure your iPhone knows familiar locations, go back to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > then scroll all the way to System Services > Important Locations. Make sure it is “On”.
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Is there any reason NOT to use stolen device protection?
The only time it can be difficult to have this feature “on” is when you want to get rid of your current phone and upgrade to the next one. You will have to wait an hour before you can make that change.
While none of this is foolproof, it is an excellent step in curbing this growing criminal trend. I hear a lot of people who think that just because they use an Apple device they can’t be hacked, stolen, or cheated on.
While Apple does better on security than most, saying that “work tirelessly every day to protect all our users from new and emerging threats.” We journalists like Stern, and all of us, for that matter, must insist that they keep their word that “(Apple) will continue to advance protections to help keep user accounts safe.”
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Jennifer Jolly is an Emmy Award-winning consumer technology columnist and on-air correspondent. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY. Contact her atJJ@Techish.com.