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iOS's 'Activation Lock' For Stolen iPads And iPhones Can Be Easily Bypassed (computerworld.com)
An anonymous reader quotes ComputerWorld:
Two researchers claim to have found a way to bypass the activation lock feature in iOS that's supposed to prevent anyone from using an iPhone or iPad marked as lost by its owner... One of the few things allowed from the activation lock screen is connecting the device to a Wi-Fi network, including manually configuring one. [Security researcher] Hemanth had the idea of trying to crash the service that enforces the lock screen by entering very long strings of characters in the WPA2-Enterprise username and password fields.
The researcher claims that, after awhile, the screen froze, and he used the iPad smart cover sold by Apple to put the tablet to sleep and then reopen it... "After 20-25 seconds the Add Wifi Connection screen crashed to the iPad home screen, thereby bypassing the so-called Find My iPhone Activation Lock," he said in a blog post.
There's also a five-minute video on YouTube which purports to show a newer version of the same attack.
The researcher claims that, after awhile, the screen froze, and he used the iPad smart cover sold by Apple to put the tablet to sleep and then reopen it... "After 20-25 seconds the Add Wifi Connection screen crashed to the iPad home screen, thereby bypassing the so-called Find My iPhone Activation Lock," he said in a blog post.
There's also a five-minute video on YouTube which purports to show a newer version of the same attack.
iPhones are not included in this as they do not do landscape mode during the activation lock screen as iPads do.
and you snooze.
No. Wait. Snooze and you lose? Howzatgo?
If the lock can be bypassed by crashing the GUI logic that presents the lock then that must mean Apple implemented the lock as a simple flag that triggers a UI view controller, and that once the view controller is dismissed (either normally or by crashing it) the logic doesn't check the flag again thereafter. They should have instead implemented it as something that hashes a critical data structure with the unlock code so that the OS can't run without being unlocked.
still need to have a call 911 mode on the lock screen for phones.
There is no hack. This is a troll and computerworld and slashdot fell for it.
It's sad that retards at slashdot believed a fake story more than one year old. How's that 'removing fake news' thing going for you amerifags?
And it doesn't remove any activation locks; just lets you use some applications, and reboot the stolen phone and you are back at the activation lock screen. And if it was possible to access the whole launch screen, still the software would trip at any step of the way. Think you could install a single app?
To summarize: bravo, slashdot retards. Next thing, UFOs and hidden cities below earth's crust. And next thing: tune your chakras with these energy gems!
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Go home, Doctor Bronner, you are drunk.
The point of the lock is to make the device less valuable for resale. And this, because it doesn't remove the lock, doesn't invalidate that.
The device simply flashes the main screen for a moment and then goes right back to the activation required screen.
Kudos to the guy for finding this. But he didn't bypass the system, the device is still unactivated and from what we see here can't even be used for anything. It certainly can't be resold for anything other than parts.
http://lkml.org/lkml/2005/8/20/95
How many clowns that steal iPhones and iPads will be aware of this? Plus now that it's known it'll be fixed in iOS 10.2. Non-story. Try harder next time.
My son changed the password on his iPhone and forgot it. We've locked out of it for a year and Apple refused to help us. This hack will work to get back up and running!
Stop being careless with a $700 piece of electronics. That's the best way for it not to be stolen.
Just verified this approach on an old at&t iPhone 5c given to me by a friend.
1. Entered special chars in both fields until it locked up.
2. Waited until it fell asleep.
3. Woke it up
4. It went straight to home screen.
I've tried turning it completely off then on again, activation lock is still bypassed.
Just wanted to throw this out there because some commenters are claiming it's a fake. Definitely worked for me, I was surprised as the video doesn't seem too convincing.
For those of you railing against how this is fake, perhaps next time you should verify something yourself before spreading misinformation of your own.
This does not disable the lock or make the device resalable. And the term "easy" shouldn't be used in this context.
Mike @ The Geek Pub. Let's Make Stuff!