Shoulder Surfing, it’s back!
Thanks to the Accidental Tech Podcast (https://atp.fm/) for tipping us off to this video article from the Wall Street Journal.
This is a two-pronged attack. 1. Theves can resell your iPhone when they have your PIN Code, as they can turn off Find my iPhone. 2. The bad guys can steal your identity and take over your Apple ID AND lock you out of all of your Apple devices for fun or profit. Plus, that iCloud iPhone backup won’t do you a bit of good when the bad guys lock you out!
To protect yourself, set up a Screen Time PIN code and tell Screen Time to no longer allow Passcode Changes or Account Changes. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208982.
This is a must-do, especially if your Face ID is not working well with a mask (like mine), and you have to enter your passcode out in public to access your phone. This goes WAY beyond just having your iPhone stolen. Your Apple PIN code will allow the person who stole your iPhone to take over your Apple ID, access bank accounts (if you have saved your back account passwords on your iPhone), and even open an Apple Credit card in your name using a social security number they might find in the phone!
Also, another tip I heard about was to disable the Control Center, as this allows thieves to put the iPhone into Airplane Mode, which can be done instantly without your passcode.
