Recently, there have been frequent conversations and mentions of fraud involving extorting money for unlocking a locked iPhone. Victims of criminals whose Apple smartphone was “hacked” do not always understand how this happened and what to do now: contact the police, write to Apple technical support, or send the requested amount to the specified account, without any guarantees and at the risk of losing money. In addition, a lack of understanding of the cause-and-effect relationship creates anxiety among mobile device users and concerns about the security of personal information. Therefore, I propose to look into this issue.
How does an iPhone get hacked?
In fact, the so-called “hacking” of mobile devices running iOS is the activation by attackers of “Lost Mode” in the application. It’s easy to guess what scheme the scammers use. It all starts with gaining access to your mailbox, the address of which doubles as your Apple ID. Then those who call themselves hackers set filters in the e-mail settings, with the help of which all letters coming from Apple are not displayed in the inbox, but immediately or end up in another folder (for example, like gmail in “all mail”) or are deleted altogether.Next, having access to your mailbox, the attackers change the Apple ID password without any problems, and then use the “Find iPhone” function to completely block their victim’s smartphone, adding in the accompanying message something like “to unlock, write to e-mail.” mail [ address]».
Sometimes the blocking occurs when a user connects to Wi-Fi somewhere in a public place, leading some to speculate that this is what caused the “hack.” In fact, the explanation may be much simpler: the previously activated Lost Mode on the iPhone occurs exactly (and only) when the owner goes online.
How to unlock an iPhone locked by scammers
First of all, don't panic. If you still have the box from your smartphone and receipts for the purchase, you can always contact Apple support, where they will help you unlock your iPhone and recover your Apple ID password. If you don’t want to wait or don’t have receipts with the box, you can try to unlock it yourself. To do this, go to the “My Apple ID” page, where we click on “Reset Password”.
We are asked to first enter our Apple ID, and then specify the authentication method: authentication by e-mail or by answering security questions.
If you remember the answers to the security questions, great, otherwise we choose the first method. However, in order to use it, you need to make sure you have access to your mailbox and immediately change your e-mail password. Then we send ourselves a letter with further instructions on how to reset your Apple ID password.
If you still don't receive emails from Apple, check your filter settings. It is quite possible that scammers have applied filters to letters from Cupertino residents and now your instructions are simply deleted immediately. As a rule, filters are managed in the e-mail settings.
So, you have the instructions in your hands. It looks like an offer to follow a link where you can update your password. After changing the password, go through the browser to iCloud, and then launch the Find iPhone web application.
It's easy to turn off Lost Mode using the Find My iPhone web app. Go to All Devices > iPhone (Locked). Then the smartphone control panel appears in the right corner of the screen. We are interested in the Lost Mode, by clicking on the icon of which we are taken to a new window at the bottom of which, the “Exit Lost Mode” button is labeled in red letters.
How to avoid becoming a victim of scammers
After all that has been said, it becomes obvious that the most vulnerable place when hacking an Apple ID is, first of all, the iPhone owner’s mailbox, by stealing which scammers can easily block the device. Therefore, use only reliable services, use additional security measures, such as double authentication, and, of course, do not use simple passwords.While writing this instruction, an interesting fact came to light: it turns out that if you use , then when you activate the lost mode, attackers simply will not be prompted to enter the 4-digit device lock code, which means you can unlock the device almost instantly. Then, of course, you should change your email and Apple ID password.
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Unfortunately, premium smartphones like the iPhone are increasingly becoming the target of attackers trying to take over someone else’s iPhone using any available means. And the problem of blocking and further searching for a lost or stolen iPhone is becoming increasingly urgent. One of the simplest and most reliable ways to lock an iPhone is Lost Mode, which can be enabled via iCloud.
Even though Lost Mode on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac is quite simple to activate and deactivate (if you are the rightful owner of the device), users often have questions like: “How to enable Lost Mode on iPhone?”, “How to disable Lost Mode on iPhone?” , “How to unlock an iPhone with Lost Mode enabled?”
Today I would like to tell you absolutely everything I know about Lost Mode in the Find My iPhone app.
First of all, I would like to remind you that the lost iOS device mode refers to emergency operation modes of the device. In this mode, the device will be completely locked and it will be impossible to bypass the lock screen of the iOS device without entering the lock password. When you connect the device to the computer (only possible with a USB cable) and launch iTunes, the program will display a warning that the connected device is in lost mode and actions with it are not available.
Features of Lost Mode
- Lost mode is available only for devices running iOS 5.0 and higher, as well as Mac OS X;
- turns on from any computer (Mac or PC), tablet or smartphone (iOS, Android, Windows Phone);
- activated in the web application or from any iDevice from the Find My iPhone application integrated into iOS;
- If the “Find iPhone” function is not enabled in the iPhone or iPad settings (Settings -> iCloud -> Find iPhone), it will be impossible to enable lost mode on the device;
- on iPhone, iPad or MacBook it is activated when the device is connected to the Internet;
- in lost mode, the device is locked with a password specified in: Settings -> General -> Touch ID and password (for iPhone 5s) and Password protection (for iOS devices without Touch ID);
- If a password is not set on the device, when you turn on the lock mode, you will be prompted to enter the password;
- 7 attempts to enter an incorrect password will block the device for 1 minute (it remains possible to make emergency calls);
- You can make calls on your iPhone in Lost Mode;
- in lost mode You can make calls from your iPhone, but only to the number specified when you turned on lost mode in iCloud;
- in lost mode, an iPhone or iPad cannot be (restored or updated) via iTunes using standard methods;
- to be in Lost Mode, it must first be switched to or Recovery Mode;
- after flashing an iPhone with Lost Mode enabled (from DFU Mode or Recovery Mode), Activation Lock is turned on on the device;
- activation lock on iPhone with “pure” iOS cannot be bypassed;
- in order to enter the Apple ID and password from the account from which the lost device mode in iCloud was enabled.
As you can see, the “Lost Mode” function is certainly useful and allows you to reliably protect the device not only from unauthorized use (locking with a password), but also when flashing it (activating the lock).
How to enable iPhone Lost Mode
Let's say you've lost your iPhone and want to activate lost mode on it. You can do this in 2 ways:
- in iCloud from any computer, tablet or smartphone with an Internet connection;
- from any other iOS device, it can be an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad.
Requirements to activate Lost iPhone Mode
- iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad with iOS 5.0 and above.
Lost Mode is enabled in the Find My iPhone web or iOS app and is therefore only available for devices running iOS 5.0 and above. For older iPhone firmware versions (add link), the function is not available. - Mac computer with OS X 10.7.5 or later on board.
Enable Lost Mode on iPhone in iCloud
- From any computer, tablet or smartphone, in a web browser, go to: http://www.icloud.com/#find (you can go to icloud.com and go to the Find iPhone application) and log in with the address that was specified in device settings in the menu " Settings -> iCloud -> Account».
- On the menu My devices(located at the top center of the page) select the model of your device.
- In the upper right corner of the window with information about your device, click on “ Lost Mode«.
- Enter four digits twice lock password(if it has not been set in the settings of the iOS device previously).
- Enter a phone number to call to return the phone and click " Further" The phone number will be displayed on the screen of the password-locked device.
- If you have lost your iPhone from which you can make calls, you can call the phone number you specified from its locked screen.
Enter a text message requesting the return of the device. Be polite, offer a reward, don't threaten. Click " Ready».
- The device, in our case the iPhone, will be in lost mode, which means that:
- If you activate Lost Mode and your iPhone is not connected to the Internet, iCloud will prompt you to activate Lost Mode in the Find My iPhone app. As soon as the iPhone is connected to the Internet, the request will be completed immediately.
How to enable Lost Mode from another iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad
Lost mode can be enabled not only through iCloud, this can be done from any other device with 5.0 or higher, the only requirement is that the gadget must be connected to the Internet.
How to disable Lost Mode
Disabling the lost mode of an iOS or Mac device is much easier than enabling it; you can do this in 3 ways:
- from a locked device (on which the lost mode is enabled);
- from iCloud in a web browser;
- from Find iPhone in iOS.
How to disable Lost Mode from a locked iPhone
The easiest and fastest way to disable the mode directly from a locked device. All you need to do is enter the correct lock password. Immediately after you enter the correct password, the device will be unlocked and Lost Mode will be deactivated.
An attacker can try to guess the lock password for your iPhone, but this will require 10,000 attempts, which is quite a lot. Moreover, if you enter the wrong password 7 times in a row, the phone is blocked for 1 minute.
Let's estimate that if we assume that it takes 2 seconds to enter 4 characters, 10,000 attempts will require 20,000 seconds or 333.3333 minutes, or 5.5555 hours. Taking into account the fact that every 7 attempts, which is 14 seconds, you will have to wait 1 minute (60 seconds), it may take 105714.2857 seconds or 1761.9047 minutes, or 29.3650 hours to guess the password. Already something, but the goal is not worth it. You can rest assured that no one will guess your iPhone password.
How to turn off Lost Mode in Find My iPhone via iCloud
Almost all actions are identical to the process of turning on this mode.
You can disable Lost Mode from the Find iPhone app on any other iOS gadget. The procedure is the same as in iCloud, I see no point in repeating it. If you have any difficulties, write in the comments.
Lost Mode in iOS and OS X is a wonderful feature, but it can become an obstacle not only for attackers, but also for legitimate owners of an iPhone or iPad.
It turns out that it is impossible to change the lock password remotely (from Find iPhone in iCloud or another iOS device), i.e. If you specified a lock password in the device settings (when you activate the lost mode, there will be no request to change this password) and accidentally forgot it, you can disable the emergency mode, but you will not be able to get beyond the lock screen.
In this situation, restoring the iPhone from Recovery Mode or DFU mode comes to the rescue. You can enter your iPhone into any of these modes from iTunes will recognize the device in recovery mode and offer to restore (reflash) it. After restoring, set up your iPhone as new. This is if you are the rightful owner, you have an Apple ID account with which you enabled Lost Mode.
If you do not have access to the Apple ID from which Lost Mode was enabled, you run the risk of turning your device into a “brick,” which is what Activation Lock is responsible for. After flashing during the initial setup, you will be asked to enter the Apple ID and password from which the lost mode was enabled, and if you cannot do this, you will not be able to turn on the iPhone or iPad in normal mode, the only way is to an Apple service center with evidence that the device truly belongs to you by right.
This procedure is dangerous because as a result of recovery (not to the current iOS) there is a 99% probability that it will occur, because It is impossible to restore the device to firmware that is no longer signed (not current) by the Apple server. This means you will have to not restore, but update iOS with the loss of a guaranteed jailbreak.
How to reset iPhone lock password remotely: from iCloud or another iPhone
It is impossible to reset or change the iPhone lock password set in Settings -> General -> Password protection (Touch ID and password) via iCloud or from another iOS device via Find My iPhone.
Video on working with iCloud and its capabilities
Well that's it, I tried to tell you everything I know about Lost Mode for iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad and Mac computers. As you can see, the mode allows you to protect your iOS and Mac devices from theft or loss quite reliably and without any problems, however, there are nuances that need to be taken into account, one of which is that you need to remember or write down the lock password.
If you have any difficulties, questions or errors, ask in the comments, I will try to quickly help and advise you.
What to do if your iPhone or iPad is stolen or the device is lost? The first and main action is to remotely block the gadget, which will not only prevent the use of the device by third parties, but will also contribute to the return of the lost item. How to lock an iPhone or iPad in case of loss or theft, as well as the settings without which remote locking is impossible, is described in detail in this guide.
First, let's consider the following option: your iPhone or iPad has not yet been stolen/lost (hopefully it will remain so), but you are worried that such a situation is possible. It is important to understand that Apple's security systems that allow you to detect or remotely block a mobile device only work if they are active. It turns out that if the “Find iPhone” function on your smartphone or tablet is not activated, then finding the device will be extremely problematic.
Therefore, without waiting for any emergencies with your iPhone or iPad, we do the following.
How to enable Find My iPhone
Step 1. Go to menu " Settings» → iCloud.
Note: This assumes you're signed in with your Apple ID. If this is not the case, then you must first log in. If you don't have an Apple ID account, you can find out how to create one.
Step 2. Select the section " Find iPhone» (« Find iPad"for tablets).
Step 3: Activate the switch " Find iPhone».
Only after these simple manipulations will you have a real opportunity to track or block the device if it is lost. You can read more about the Find iPhone feature.
Now let's get back to those who have fallen victim to cybercriminals or lost their iPhone or iPad. Once Find My iPhone or Find My iPad has been enabled, locking your device remotely is fairly easy.
How to Remotely Lock a Stolen or Lost iPhone or iPad
Step 1. Go to the website iCloud.com and log in using your Apple ID account information.
Step 2: Launch the web application " Find iPhone", Press " All devices» and select the device you want to remotely block.
Step 3: In the device window, click " Lost Mode».
Step 4. Enter the six-digit passcode that will lock your device.
Step 5: Enter the message that appears on the screen of your locked device.
Step 6. Enter your contact phone number, which will also be displayed on the screen of your locked device and click “ Further».
Step 7. The successful transfer of the iPhone or iPad to lost mode will be indicated by a message in the upper left corner of the device window.
The device itself will be instantly locked after being put into lost mode. The display will begin to show the message and phone number you specified.
When you try to unlock your iPhone or iPad, you will be prompted to enter a six-digit password.
Until the correct password is provided, the iPhone or iPad will continue to remain in a locked state. Remove the lock by flashing it, even through
If you have become a victim of your brand new iPhone being stolen, then as soon as you notice this, you need to act immediately. You need to visit the iCloud website and block your stolen iPhone. Using the Apple ID you have, you need to log in to iCloud.com.
Your next action is to go to the “Find iPhone” branch. By clicking on the drop-down menu, you select an iPhone or iPad (this depends on what was stolen from you). On the map of the area that appears, the location of the turned on device should be displayed as a green dot. This means you're in luck - your iPhone is turned on and registered online. If the dot is red, then he has been offline for at least a day.
After this, a window such as Lost Mode appears, and you must specify a password in it. If a password has not been set before, the system automatically installs it on the device.
When a stolen gadget contains important or simply personal information, it can be removed from it. There is a special menu for this. But there is no need to rush to click on it, since immediately after deleting the information, the device will not be able to be tracked on the map. It's up to your discretion.
What you need to do to be able to block a stolen iPhone
Before you go out with your iPhone for the first time, you need to set everything up correctly. You need to start by activating an option such as “Find iPhone”, located along the path: settings - iOS - iCloud. There is also such a menu item as “Last geoposition”. You need to make sure it is active. By activating this item, you can track the geolocation of the device when it is turned off.
You can’t keep your ID next to your phone. If you suddenly forgot it, you need to immediately visit the Apple website, answer the questions asked and change this password.
It's great if you can take advantage of the ability to block using Touch ID. This will allow you to remove the lock using fingerprinting, which means using a fingerprint. Activating a password can be done simply: Settings, Password, Password protection, switching to Enable password mode. It is possible to activate the process of deleting information after 10 incorrect password entries.
Turn on iPhone Lost Mode
To activate the lost mode, you can use 2 methods:
- in iCloud from any computer, tablet or smartphone with an Internet connection;
- from another iOS device.
Lost mode can be enabled in the web or iOS application; it is only available for devices that directly run iOS 5.0 and higher. But this function is not available for older iPhone firmware versions.
From any computer or tablet, or even smartphone, in a web browser, you need to go to the website icloud.com and go to the Find iPhone application, log in with the Apple ID specified in the device settings “Settings -> iCloud -> Account”.
Next, in the My Devices menu (located at the top center), select the device model. In the window with information about the device, you need to click on “Lost Mode”. Then you must enter the 4-digit lock password twice.
After this, you enter a phone number that you can call to return the phone and click “Next”. The number will be displayed on the screen of the device that is locked with a password. If you have lost or stolen your iPhone, from which you can make calls, you can call the phone number you specified from its locked screen.
- the phone will be locked with a password;
- Your message will appear on the lock screen;
- the specified phone number will be displayed on the lock screen, which you can call even from a locked iPhone;
- in the window with the image of this device you can see the inscription “Lost mode”;
- a message will be sent to the email that was used to register the Apple ID that the device has entered lost mode;
- Activation lock is activated on the iPhone;
- When you connect your iPhone to iTunes, a warning will appear that the device has entered Lost Mode and actions with it have been blocked.
If the iPhone is not connected to the Internet when Lost Mode is activated, iCloud will prompt you to activate this mode. When you connect your iPhone to the Internet, the request will be executed immediately.
Lost mode can be activated not only through iCloud, it can also be done from another device, the only requirement is that you must be connected to the Internet.
In order to block a stolen device you need: on your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad you need to launch the “Find iPhone” application and log in with your Apple ID and password. You need to select the device you want to block and click on “Actions”. Next, click on “Lost Mode” and turn it on.
Enter your password, phone number, message text and click “Done.” An image of a lock will appear in the All Devices menu. The consequences for the device will be the same as when the mode was activated from iCloud.
Disabling Lost Mode
Lost mode is much easier to turn off than it is to turn on; there are 3 ways to do this:
- from the locked device itself;
- from iCloud in a web browser;
- from the Find iPhone menu in iOS.
The easiest and fastest way to disable the mode is to disconnect from a locked device. You just need to enter the lock password correctly. After this, the device is unlocked and the lost mode is deactivated.
To disable Lost Mode via iCloud, you need to do almost all the steps identical to the process of enabling this mode. In the “My Devices” menu, select the device on which Lost Mode has been activated and click on “Lost Mode”. Next, you need to click on “Exit Lost Mode” and confirm the request.
As a result, Lost Mode will be disabled, and the message and phone number will disappear from the locked screen, but the password will not be reset; you must enter the password to unlock the device. After this, this password will be set as a device lock code. You can disable Lost Mode from the Find My iPhone app on another iOS device. Moreover, the procedure is similar.
Lost mode is a wonderful feature, but it can become an obstacle for both criminals and legitimate owners. It turns out that it is impossible to change the lock password remotely, i.e. If a lock password was specified in the device settings and was accidentally forgotten, then disabling the emergency mode is possible, but it becomes impossible to get beyond the lock screen.
In this situation, restoring the iPhone from Recovery Mode or DFU mode comes to the rescue. It is possible to enter an iPhone into any of these modes from any state; iTunes can recognize the device in recovery mode and offer to restore it. After the restoration process, set up your iPhone as new. But this is if you are the legal owner and you have an Apple ID account from which Lost Mode was enabled.
It is a tragedy for the owner not only because this smartphone is quite expensive, but also for another reason: according to surveys, 70% of owners of Apple gadgets store important information on their mobile devices, both personal and necessary for work and business. If an executive loses his iPhone (along with his notes, emails, and spreadsheets), it can stall his organization for days.
Fortunately, there is a chance to find the gadget. People who have lost their iPhone or iPad should put aside self-flagellation and self-pity “for later” and first take the measures described in this article. Even if these measures fail to locate your lost iPhone, it will be possible to delete the data stored in the device's memory to prevent it from falling into the hands of ordinary people or, much worse, business competitors.
There are several steps to take straightaway after discovering the loss of the iPhone. If the smartphone was found by a respectable person, there is a high probability that these simple measures will yield results:
Call your number. Use the phone of a friend or work colleague for this. If you left the device on the street, the call will attract the attention of a passerby, who will be able to give you the find for a modest reward. If you don’t have a phone at hand from which you can make a call, use the “almighty” Internet - for example, from the website www.iCantFindMyPhone.com you can call any number. If the call does not yield results, proceed to further actions.
Temporarily block your SIM card. It's not even necessary for this personally When you come to a mobile operator’s service office, just call the hotline number and give your passport details. This measure will help protect against a significant minus on your account.
Change passwords via computer. The iPhone stores in its memory all the passwords you specified. If, say, you regularly transfer money via iPhone in your Sberbank-Online Personal Account, then the loss of your device may well put your well-being at risk. If an attacker gains access to your page, it will threaten your reputation.
Take preventive measures to avoid being in a situation where all your passwords end up in the hands of an attacker. Use a password manager with one master code, which a person who accidentally finds the gadget will definitely not be able to recognize. Password managers for iPhone (and not only) are discussed.
Think about where you've been recently and where you might have lost your device.. Let's say, if you used a taxi service, you can dial an operator who will connect you personally with your driver. You can ask the driver if he found the iPhone.
Is it possible to find an iPhone by IMEI?
Finding out the IMEI of an Apple device is easy: just dial *#06#, and the number will appear on the screen.
What can't you do if Find My iPhone is turned on?
Having reported the loss of an iPhone to the police, the user will probably be faced with a requirement to turn off “ Lost Mode"so that law enforcement agencies can track the location of the device by IMEI.
If you have a security password set on your smartphone, you can disable “Lost Mode” at the request of the police - the password is quite reliable protection.
Only an Apple pro will be able to reset it - the likelihood that the finder is an advanced user is very small.
If the police ask you to erase your iPhone and remove yourself from your iCloud account, under no circumstances should you comply with their request. The security password will be reset after erasing, which means that the person who discovered the iPhone will will be able to fully use the device. The owner can only hope for the efficiency of the police, who, alas, do not prioritize cases of missing phones.
Applications to help you find your iPhone
Not only the built-in functions of the device, but also third-party applications available in the AppStore for free or for a reasonable fee can help you find a gadget. Such programs include:
Contact If Found
The application makes it possible to create a desktop screensaver with the owner’s contact information. This program is free, but can only be installed on smartphones with iOS version 8 and higher.
iHound.
Program " iHound"-"personal detective" of the iPhone owner. As soon as the lost gadget is connected to the PC, a letter will be sent to the owner’s mailbox indicating the exact address where the device is located. Thus, the owner can prevent the software of his smartphone from being changed by “computer craftsmen.” Also " iHound» periodically records the location of the gadget for preventive purposes - this means that the owner will be able to find out not only Where now the device remains, but also How it got there (for this you will have to use Facebook or Twitter).
Reward If Found
The program will allow you to create a colorful screensaver with the owner’s contact information. As soon as the person who found the iPhone turns on the device, he will see something like this:
The program is paid, but its cost is low - only 75 rubles.
iLocalis
iLocalis is an application only available for jailbroken iPhones (in Cydia). Its functionality is quite wide: for example, using “ iLocalis“You can find out the new number if you have changed the SIM card in your smartphone.
Conclusion
Increasing the security of device owners is a trend that is gaining momentum. It is known that Apple engineers are developing a project for a “zombie mode” of the iPhone - a gadget in this state will be able to transmit location information to the owner even when turned off. However, for now, users of Apple gadgets have to be content with the “ Find iPhone”, which, alas, does not always bring results.
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