4 ms·

I’m sorry that happened to you. IMHO this is a huge problem. A thief just wants to steal your phone. To ensure the value of the device, it’s now common to forc

I’m sorry that happened to you. IMHO this is a huge problem. A thief just wants to steal your phone. To ensure the value of the device, it’s now common to force you to provide your passcode. This gives access to all your data, can be used to reset your Apple ID password, lock you out of your account, and erase and lock all your other devices. This problem never existed before, and it’s significantly worse! Like, way way way worse. It’s so bad I wonder if I should really be signed into my Apple ID on my phone at all. Because I don’t give the slightest care of someone stealing my phone. But I do care if they have access to all my data, erase and lock me out of all my other devices. I really care about that. And this problem only exists because Apple locks down the device and all parts.

PrimeMcFly 3y ago
It sounds like the solution for your problem is not to use an Apple phone. Use an Android rom that gives you significantly more power and granularity.
- TheHappyOddish 3y ago
  I'm unsure how your device being Android means you won't hand over the keys when prompted at gunpoint. Can you explain your line of thought?
  - PrimeMcFly 3y ago
    It's much easier on Android to setup all kinds of alternatives. You could setup a 'dummy' key that if entered would alert the police, for example. Failing that, you can setup different keys for different services with different levels of access, as well as have third party equivalents to 'Find my iPhone'. Not being in the walled garden provides a lot of freedom and flexibility to setup contingencies.
    - TheHappyOddish 3y ago
      Maybe... But ignoring the fact this lgel of customisation is unlikely for any normal and most tech people, you'd likely require root to override the core system and password auth I'd imagine. I believe this ends up invalidating what is core functionality for most people - banking, wildvine, etc. If we're moving into the realm of the ultra paranoid, high security over convenience focused user - sure. In fact I dare say such a user might prefer a Linux phone with physical keyboard, or no phone at all. But if we're talking average iPhone or Android users here, I can't imagine the scenario would change much at gunpoint.
      - PrimeMcFly 3y ago
        > But ignoring the fact this lgel of customisation is unlikely for any normal and most tech people, This is HN though...surely there are a lot of people who care about security and have experience using custom roms. > you'd likely require root to override the core system and password auth I'd imagine Honestly, even a simple solution would be putting on something like Prey, which is free and easy to use, and using a third party applocker tool. Those two things don't need a custom rom or any other customization.
Bud 3y ago
[dead]
jwells89 3y ago
> And this problem only exists because Apple locks down the device and all parts. It would likely be a problem even without the lockdowns and official parts flowing freely, because even if Apple is selling the parts with zero margin, black market and gray market parts supplied from stolen devices are still going to be cheaper, which means there will still be a demand for them from unscrupulous repair shops that use cheap parts of questionable origin to gain an upper leg on shops playing by the rules. There will also always be individuals doing DIY repairs who won’t care where parts come from so long as they’re cheap.
lazycouchpotato 3y ago
They don't need to force anyone to do anything. They can just shoulder surf you entering your PIN. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUYODQB_2wQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUYODQB_2wQ

PrimeMcFly 3y ago

It sounds like the solution for your problem is not to use an Apple phone. Use an Android rom that gives you significantly more power and granularity.

TheHappyOddish 3y ago
I'm unsure how your device being Android means you won't hand over the keys when prompted at gunpoint. Can you explain your line of thought?
- PrimeMcFly 3y ago
  It's much easier on Android to setup all kinds of alternatives. You could setup a 'dummy' key that if entered would alert the police, for example. Failing that, you can setup different keys for different services with different levels of access, as well as have third party equivalents to 'Find my iPhone'. Not being in the walled garden provides a lot of freedom and flexibility to setup contingencies.
  - TheHappyOddish 3y ago
    Maybe... But ignoring the fact this lgel of customisation is unlikely for any normal and most tech people, you'd likely require root to override the core system and password auth I'd imagine. I believe this ends up invalidating what is core functionality for most people - banking, wildvine, etc. If we're moving into the realm of the ultra paranoid, high security over convenience focused user - sure. In fact I dare say such a user might prefer a Linux phone with physical keyboard, or no phone at all. But if we're talking average iPhone or Android users here, I can't imagine the scenario would change much at gunpoint.
    - PrimeMcFly 3y ago
      > But ignoring the fact this lgel of customisation is unlikely for any normal and most tech people, This is HN though...surely there are a lot of people who care about security and have experience using custom roms. > you'd likely require root to override the core system and password auth I'd imagine Honestly, even a simple solution would be putting on something like Prey, which is free and easy to use, and using a third party applocker tool. Those two things don't need a custom rom or any other customization.

Bud 3y ago

[dead]

jwells89 3y ago

> And this problem only exists because Apple locks down the device and all parts. It would likely be a problem even without the lockdowns and official parts flowing freely, because even if Apple is selling the parts with zero margin, black market and gray market parts supplied from stolen devices are still going to be cheaper, which means there will still be a demand for them from unscrupulous repair shops that use cheap parts of questionable origin to gain an upper leg on shops playing by the rules. There will also always be individuals doing DIY repairs who won’t care where parts come from so long as they’re cheap.

lazycouchpotato 3y ago

They don't need to force anyone to do anything. They can just shoulder surf you entering your PIN. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUYODQB_2wQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUYODQB_2wQ