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While there are perils, there are also benefits. Organised theft of iPhones basically stopped being a problem because features like these makes the device a mos

by mikl 5y ago

While there are perils, there are also benefits. Organised theft of iPhones basically stopped being a problem because features like these makes the device a mostly useless brick once it’s marked in Apple’s systems as stolen. I like the idea that should anyone be foolish enough to steal my MacBook, not only will they not be able to get my data, they won’t even be able to get much useful value out of the purloined goods.

ccmcarey 5y ago
> Theft of iPhones basically stopped being a problem because features like these makes the device a mostly useless brick once it’s marked in Apple’s systems as stolen. Uhh, got a citation on that?
- foldr 5y ago
  https://9to5mac.com/2015/02/11/iphone-thefts/ https://9to5mac.com/2015/02/11/iphone-thefts/
- mikl 5y ago
  Sure, how about https://www.lifewire.com/security-settings-iphone-thieves-hate-2487730 https://www.lifewire.com/security-settings-iphone-thieves-ha... There’s more to be found on this new-fangled internet search engine called Google. You should try it: https://www.google.com/ https://www.google.com/
  - Andrew_nenakhov 5y ago
    People are still routinely tricked to enter their iCloud credentials into fraudlent websites designed to look just like iCloud, allowing thieves to wipe the device. I've had this happen to three people I know. Works like this: they contact you via your contacts, pretending to be apple care specialists, ship a link, then social engineer you into entering credentials, then they disappear. (I don't really know how they get to contacts, but this was the case in all three instances)
    - aunty_helen 5y ago
      Can confirm, had my XR stolen. Contacted on whatsapp via a number that I put as the lost message (displays when you turn the phone on). Story was, this girl from Italy bought my phone on ebay but then saw my message and then took it to the Apple store. Someone from the apple store would contact me to arrange recovery of my stolen phone. Couple hours later I got a message from another number asking for me to log in to my iCloud account and arrange an appointment using this link. Opened the link and about to type my details in then I saw the domain wasn't quite right. Looked into it, realised it was a phishing attempted and bailed on that. I know they can't access the phone whilst it's still on my iCloud account so it will remain there, in lost mode, until the heat death of the universe.
    - mikl 5y ago
      It’s not really surprising that organised criminals are trying to get around the anti-theft measures (although crazy to hear that you know that many who’ve had their phones stolen). But as you can imagine, running such social engineering schemes takes time, and success is not guaranteed, so even in this case, the anti-theft measures are making it less attractive to steal iPhones.
badsectoracula 5y ago
> While there are perils, there are also benefits Rarely are anti-features sold to unsuspecting users without having some positives to explain their existence.

by mikl 5y ago

ccmcarey 5y ago

> Theft of iPhones basically stopped being a problem because features like these makes the device a mostly useless brick once it’s marked in Apple’s systems as stolen. Uhh, got a citation on that?

foldr 5y ago
https://9to5mac.com/2015/02/11/iphone-thefts/ https://9to5mac.com/2015/02/11/iphone-thefts/
mikl 5y ago
Sure, how about https://www.lifewire.com/security-settings-iphone-thieves-hate-2487730 https://www.lifewire.com/security-settings-iphone-thieves-ha... There’s more to be found on this new-fangled internet search engine called Google. You should try it: https://www.google.com/ https://www.google.com/
- Andrew_nenakhov 5y ago
  People are still routinely tricked to enter their iCloud credentials into fraudlent websites designed to look just like iCloud, allowing thieves to wipe the device. I've had this happen to three people I know. Works like this: they contact you via your contacts, pretending to be apple care specialists, ship a link, then social engineer you into entering credentials, then they disappear. (I don't really know how they get to contacts, but this was the case in all three instances)
  - aunty_helen 5y ago
    Can confirm, had my XR stolen. Contacted on whatsapp via a number that I put as the lost message (displays when you turn the phone on). Story was, this girl from Italy bought my phone on ebay but then saw my message and then took it to the Apple store. Someone from the apple store would contact me to arrange recovery of my stolen phone. Couple hours later I got a message from another number asking for me to log in to my iCloud account and arrange an appointment using this link. Opened the link and about to type my details in then I saw the domain wasn't quite right. Looked into it, realised it was a phishing attempted and bailed on that. I know they can't access the phone whilst it's still on my iCloud account so it will remain there, in lost mode, until the heat death of the universe.
  - mikl 5y ago
    It’s not really surprising that organised criminals are trying to get around the anti-theft measures (although crazy to hear that you know that many who’ve had their phones stolen). But as you can imagine, running such social engineering schemes takes time, and success is not guaranteed, so even in this case, the anti-theft measures are making it less attractive to steal iPhones.

badsectoracula 5y ago

> While there are perils, there are also benefits Rarely are anti-features sold to unsuspecting users without having some positives to explain their existence.