A video, posted to YouTube by EverythingApplePro, shows a small box unlocking an iPhone 7 which had been locked with a pass-code. The box worked, for a little while, on all iPhone 7 and iPhone 7+ models, as well as some iPhone 6 and 6S models which ran a beta version of iOS 11.
According to an article on TechCrunch, Apple confirmed that an intended behavior allowed this box to work. However, the 'bug' has been patched out of the final version of iOS 11.
The fact that this method no longer works is irrelevant. The fact that it EVER worked at all should cause everyone to reconsider how they dispose of end of life or unclaimed electronic devices.
In my 30 years experience, I have seen a vibrant community of hackers, both professional and amateur, grow to the point that nearly ANY device can be successfully hacked - including an iPhone. These hackers have built businesses geared toward providing software and hardware - tools specifically intended for manipulating iPhone and Android devices.
For instance, one popular tool enables anyone to remove pin codes on Android phones, without losing any data. The cost…around $300.00. This “black box” also works on some iPhones and iPads which run an earlier version of iOS. That’s not all, any third party Android pass code locker can easily be disabled by a simple button combination.
What’s the danger? Think about it; if someone obtained your guests’ or customers’ unclaimed devices, that individual could easily gain access to their private information, potentially jeopardizing their identity and your reputation.
If you and your company are serious about protecting the data of your guests or customers, make certain you dispose of unclaimed devices through a reputable organization that takes your customers’ privacy and your reputation as seriously as you do.