What the Tech: How to protect your phone from thieves
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - For iPhone s, we know that Apple’s “Find My” feature is a powerful tool for locating lost or stolen devices, but a potential security flaw has been discovered.
Even when an iPhone is locked, anyone can access the Control Center by swiping down from the top right corner, allowing them to disable Bluetooth, WiFi, and cellular connections. This effectively renders the “Find My” feature useless, as the device can no longer be tracked.
Our Consumer Technology Reporter Jamey Tucker says he has no idea this was possible until he tested it out himself.
He asked a stranger to try unlocking his phone. By simply swiping down from the upper right-hand corner of the screen she had full access to his Control .
She also could turn off WiFi, Bluetooth, and Cellular, and she could put the phone in Airplane Mode. It took all of 3 seconds.
To address this security risk, iPhone s can disable Control Center access when the device is locked. Here’s how:
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- Open the Settings app
- Scroll down and tap “Face ID & code” (or “Touch ID & code” on older devices)
- Enter your code
- Scroll down to “Allow Access When Locked”
- Toggle off “Control Center”
While this setting change won’t prevent theft, it makes it more difficult for thieves to disable tracking. This gives owners a better chance of locating their devices using the “Find My” app.
As an additional security measure, s should consider disabling USB access when the device is locked to prevent potential hacking attempts.
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