Key Highlights :
In 2020, Apple introduced a new security feature designed to help users retrieve their Apple ID account when they don’t have enough information to reset their password. Unfortunately, this feature can also be used by savvy phone thieves to entirely lock victims out of their Apple account. This has devastating consequences, as victims of phone theft may not be able to recover stolen money racked up through Apple Pay or financial app payments, or retrieve photos, notes, messages and other files from Apple.
The good news is that there are steps you can take to protect yourself from this type of attack. In this article, we’ll explore the issue of iPhone theft and the recovery key, and provide advice on how to protect yourself and your Apple account.
What is the Recovery Key?
The recovery key is a randomly generated 28-character code that can help users retrieve their Apple ID account when they don’t have enough information to reset their password. It can also be used by savvy phone thieves to eliminate the chance of victims being able to regain access to their account after the password is changed.
How Thieves Use the Recovery Key
Phone thieves can use the recovery key to lock victims out of their Apple account with devastating consequences. The thief will use the victims passcode to change the Apple ID password and then flip the recovery key to lock them out completely.
This means that victims of phone theft may be able to recover stolen money racked up through Apple Pay or financial app payments made through their iPhone, but retrieving data is much more difficult. A call to the bank may be enough to seal off a compromised credit card, but retrieving photos, notes, messages and other files from Apple is much more difficult.
How to Protect Yourself
The best way to protect yourself from this type of attack is to safely store copies of your recovery key in more than one place or to pass it on to a trusted family member or friend instead.
If you want to add a recovery key to your account, it can be found as an option in the Password & Security menu of under the Apple ID option in your iPhone’s Settings app. Scroll down and you should see an Account Recovery button, tap on this to be taken through the setup process for adding a recovery key.
It’s also important to note that Google employs a different method for recovering an account. The company’s password-reset process asks for an email, phone number or password to allow users to regain access later — even if they’ve been changed by an imposter.
Conclusion
Phone thieves can use the recovery key to lock victims out of their Apple account with devastating consequences. To protect yourself from this type of attack, store copies of your recovery key in more than one place or pass it on to a trusted family member or friend. You should also be aware of the different methods used by Apple and Google for recovering an account. By following these steps, you can help ensure that your Apple account remains secure.