New features launched in iOS 17.3: New protection for stolen devices, even if you know the password

iOS17.3 has launched a new feature, adding the "Stolen Device Protection" feature. Let’s take a look at what it does.

On January 23, Apple officially pushed the iOS 17.3 system. This update introduced the additional security measure of "Stolen Device Protection" . It also includes a new "Unity" wallpaper that celebrates Black History Month and pays tribute to black history and culture, as well as other features, bug fixes and security updates for the iPhone.

(Image source: Apple)

It is worth noting that the stolen device protection function of this update is different from the device search function we usually understand. This function is a protection measure provided when the thief already knows your password.

For example, when your iPhone leaves your regular place (such as home or work), and a thief tries to access the passwords and credit card information stored on your phone in an unfamiliar environment, they must perform biometric verification through Face ID or Touch ID instead of using a password. The purpose of this is to prevent others from stealing your phone and account information.

In addition, when performing key operations such as changing the Apple ID password, you will need to wait an hour and perform Face ID or Touch ID verification again.

(Image source: Apple)

If your iPhone is unfortunately stolen and the thief knows your various passwords, this feature can help protect the security of your device and account, giving you time to mark the device as lost. But in places you are familiar with, you don't need to take these extra steps and can unlock it with the password as usual. It should be noted that this feature needs to be turned on before the device is lost or stolen.

Xiao Lei believes that although this function is useful to a certain extent, it has limited effect in preventing information leakage.

First, if a thief already knows your lock screen password, a lot of your other information may be at risk, especially if you don't use iCloud Keychain and choose to use other methods such as Notes to record your password, this data is likely to be easily obtained by the thief.

Second, when a thief has access to your lock screen password, they can also look up shipping addresses or contacts in your phone, and potentially even use those addresses to move around your home, giving them a chance to circumvent these protections. In addition, these security measures may not be much of a deterrent for thieves who are only interested in device parts.

Therefore, the best defense is still to back up your device data using iCloud, so that if the device is lost, you can immediately enable Lost Mode remotely and wipe the data.

(Image source: Apple)

In summary, although the "Stolen Device Protection" feature provides an additional layer of security, it cannot completely eliminate the risk of information leakage or device theft. This feature is more like a buffer, giving you enough time to activate the lost mode and clear the information in the device after the device is lost.

In addition, the iOS 17.3 system upgrade also introduced the AirPlay hotel playback function and optimized the crash detection for iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 series phones. The official version of iOS 17.3 is now available.

Source: Lei Technology Express