Don’t rely on your iPhone passcode to protect your data

Don’t rely on your iPhone passcode to protect your data! There are a number of simple additional steps you can take to properly protect your valuable data.

Lose the sound iPhone Worst thing ever. Losing your entire digital life is truly traumatic. Unfortunately, this happens often. Journalist Jonah Stern published an article recently Wall Street Journal It explains how thieves get their hands on iPhones, and above all, all the data inside. And the culprit is often a simple access code that acts as a lock.

Your iPhone passcode can be used against you

A passcode is designed to keep your iPhone data safe, but it’s too vulnerable to be a true security solution. Once the thief finds six digits on your lock screen, it’s game over. And it’s easy to look over the victim’s shoulder. But some thieves create real schemes to recover these codes, charging third parties to take pictures, for example, so that the display can be easily replayed once the iPhone is stolen.

The code unlocks large areas on the iPhone. Minutes after being stolen, a thief can reset your iCloud password by entering a few recovered digits. iOS doesn’t need more than that to continue.

From there everything is at hand for the thief. This removes other devices from the Find My network, disabling Find My and preventing it from working remotely. You’ve lost your iPhone, but you can’t use your Mac or iPad. Since he changed your password, you can’t do anything.

Face ID doesn’t protect your important apps because these can be unlocked with a code. This includes personal notes, banking or money transfer apps like Venmo, Apple Pay, Coinbase, and more. So people are not only losing their devices and data but also losing real money. Scary. Apple doesn’t really have an answer, but there are some simple steps you can take.

Use an alphanumeric code on iPhone

The first thing to do is to optimize your code. Choose a long, alphanumeric character with numbers, letters, and special characters. To do this, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Change Passcode > Passcode Options. It is less convenient than a six-digit code. If Face ID or Touch ID are your usual authentication methods, you won’t need to enter it often.

Don’t let anyone see their code

This code should be treated like your credit card code. If you must enter it in public, do so very discreetly. Remember that this passcode is the gateway to your entire iPhone.

Use password managers

Password managers are a great way to keep complex passwords in a safe place. If possible, avoid using one for your money-related apps. Wall Street Journal It explains that thieves were able to access bank accounts because iCloud Keychain contained login information.

Password managers are an easy way to remember passwords for personal accounts. If you use one for your financial apps, use a third-party solution like 1Password or Bitwarden, as these use a different master password. So, even if a thief recovers your iPhone’s passcode, he won’t have access to your money.

Use an authenticator app instead of SMS two-factor authentication

If your banking app allows it, always use two-factor authentication (2FA) and go through a dedicated authentication app, not via SMS. If the thief has access to your iPhone, he can retrieve the 2FA code sent via SMS. Instead, opt for an app like Aegis or Raivo that lets you set a unique password for the app instead of using your iCloud password. As with third-party password managers, hackers cannot enter your authentication application without a password. Even if they have your banking app password, they will get caught.

Don’t keep photos of your financial information on the iPhone

Finally, check your photo library and delete images that contain information from your credit cards, bank accounts, and other Social Security numbers or identification documents. A scanned copy of a credit card is sometimes enough for a thief to access your bank account.