Apple’s new iPhone security setup keeps thieves out of your digital accounts

Apple is making it harder for iPhone thieves to access your personal information if they get your device’s passcode. like reported by The Wall Street JournalApple has included a new Stolen Device Protection feature in iOS 17.3 beta, which, when enabled, will require authentication through Face ID or Touch ID to perform certain actions.

It appears that the new feature comes in response to concerns raised in… former Reports by The Wall Street Journal It describes how thieves watch their victims type in their iPhone passcodes and then steal their devices. This gives thieves access to a wealth of personal and financial information stored on the device, allowing them to lock down victims’ iCloud accounts and spend thousands of dollars using saved payment information.

If you opt in to this feature, you’ll have to verify your identity using your facial biometrics or fingerprint when you do things like view passwords saved in iCloud Keychain, apply for a new Apple Card, factory reset your device, or use other methods. Saved payments in Safari. , and turn off Lost Mode. This way, thieves won’t be able to steal your information even if they have your phone and passcode.

For more sensitive actions, like changing your Apple ID password, changing your iPhone passcode, or turning off Find My, the new Stolen Device Protection feature adds an extra hurdle if the device is somewhere other than locations you frequent, such as Home or in the office. Not only does it require you to verify your identity using Face ID or Touch ID, but it also requires you to wait one hour and then repeat the authentication process again.

“iPhone data encryption has long led the industry, and a thief cannot access data on a stolen iPhone without knowing the user’s passcode,” Apple spokesman Scott Radcliffe said in a statement. the edge. “In the rare case that a thief catches a user entering the passcode and then steals the device, Stolen Device Protection adds a sophisticated new layer of protection.”

The solution should at least make stealing iPhones less tempting for thieves — and more difficult to carry out actions that could upend users’ digital lives.

Updated December 12, 3:31 PM ET: Added a statement from Apple.