New Apple scam - Locked devices fraud

There is a new hack/scam going on that Apple iPhone and iPad users need to be aware of. Hackers are breaking in to your Apple ID and use Find My iPhone to lock your mobile device and display a custom message demanding payment.

The image to the left (courtesy 9to5mac.com) shows a sample of what the message can look like.

So is the device really compromised? No, you can swipe to the side and unlock it as you normally would. This attack preys on the non-technical user who is easily fooled.

What can I do to protect myself? Set up 2-factor authentication on your Apple ID.

What is 2-factor authentication? Please read the 2-factor authentication article here.

This is a good practice for online accounts anyway, and should negate this sort of attack.

What should I do if I see this kind of message on my phone?  Don't panic, your iPhone/iPad are still fine, you can swipe and log in with your code as you did before.

If you see this message you should immediately log in to your Apple ID and change the password. Do this before the attacker decides to wipe your device.

Once that's complete, set up 2-factor authentication on your Apple ID. At this point you can relax, you've protected yourself from this sort of attack going forward fairly effectively.

This sort of attack is nothing new, it just preys on fear and people using recycled passwords.

Happy surfing!

-The Home Geek.