Apple’s new security update will block thieves from accessing a stolen iPhone

Apple is set to add more protection to the iPhone in an upcoming iOS update, which will prevent thieves from accessing smartphones using passcodes.

The new setting, called Stolen Device Protection, promises to prevent cybercriminals from locking out iPhone users from their Apple accounts or accessing any of their passwords stored in Apple's Keychain.

If the feature detects an unknown location for your iPhone, it will require Apple's FaceID to unlock the device.

Stolen Device Protection was introduced with Apple's iOS 17.3 but is currently being tested in beta.

The essence of protecting stolen devices lies in the strict reliance on user biometrics via Apple's Face ID or Touch ID and geolocation data in the places most known to the iPhone owner.

When users enable Stolen Device Protection, three new protection features will be activated.

Password protect your Apple ID

As the password gateway to many other features across your Apple devices — from iCloud storage to Apple Pay to your old iTunes account — the ability to change your Apple ID password opens up a world of theft opportunities.

Stolen Device Protection is designed to prevent a thief from trying to lock you out by swapping your Apple ID if the effort is made when your iPhone isn't in a familiar location, like your home or office.

If you, a thief, or anyone else tries to change your Apple ID password away from these familiar locations, the device will ask for Face ID or Touch ID twice.

After the first biometric scan via Face ID or Touch ID, setup requires a second scan one hour before changes are made, preventing the kind of low-risk “smash and grab” that an iPhone thief is more likely to attempt.

Protect your Apple security settings

Protecting a stolen device will also require two Face ID or Touch ID scans one hour apart if anyone operating an iPhone from a strange location tries to add or delete a Recovery Key or change the user's trusted phone number.

apples Recovery key It provides a randomly generated 28-character code to deal with losing access to their Apple ID, which users can then save somewhere safe (whether handwritten, emailed to themselves, saved, or something more creative).

The protection of these features ensures that a thief cannot prevent you from accessing everything you have saved in iCloud, including personal photos or important files, which may be lost forever.

The essence of protecting stolen devices lies in the strict reliance on user biometrics via Apple's Face ID or Touch ID and geolocation data in the places most known to the iPhone owner. A thief will no longer be able to sneak in your phone and access it from anywhere

Restrict access to passwords in Apple Keychain

Although it's useful for storing a user's sprawling list of hard-to-remember passwords across every website and service they use, Apple's password manager, iCloud Keychain, is a natural target for criminals.

Before the new update, all it took was a four- or six-digit PIN to access passwords on keychains for banking apps, cash services, crypto, and more.

With Stolen Device Protection, your iPhone will require Face ID or Touch ID to access these passwords, and your passcode won't cut it as a backup for failed biometrics attempts.

Protection protects the stolen device itself

A thief may simply try to turn off stolen device protection before actually getting down to business looking at your device.

Fortunately, the setup will require the same two Biometric scans, one hour apart, to turn off the feature.

There are still some risks

Although the new security update ensures several secure measures to prevent a real disaster for Apple's iPhone customers, there are still open loopholes if your phone is stolen.

Any app, email, or website access that is not protected with an additional password or PIN will remain at risk.

This means that, in many cases, any account or login that can be reset via text or email will remain vulnerable even if stolen device protection is turned on.

Adding to this risk, all credit cards or services linked to Apple Pay will still work with a passcode only if Face ID or Touch ID biometrics fail.

wall Street Journal, Which has made news about the nationwide thefts that led to this new update, suggests adding additional PINs or biometric hurdles to any financial apps on your device.

They also suggest moving quickly to access iCloud and remotely wipe your stolen device as soon as you notice the theft.