Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple Watch Vulnerable to Theft With No Activation Lock

bbeagle said:
Why is only Apple Watch singled out?

EVERY smart watch and NON-smart watch - even those costing thousands of dollars more - operates in the same way. Lose the watch, or get it stolen, someone else can use it like it was theirs.

Every Rolex, Timex, Moto 360.... all work the same way. Why single out Apple Watch?
Click to expand...

Just curious. What are your thoughts about the actual lack of security on the watch?

I'm pretty sure Apple Watch owners are comforted by the knowledge other watches lack security.:rolleyes:

Why was the Apple Watch singled out? It wasn't. This report comes from an Apple-centric site. Why would that site be reporting on Rolex and Timex, or Moto360 for that matter? Maybe they realize that bringing up Rolex, Timex and Moto360 doesn't change the fact that the Apple watch is vulnerable to theft.
 
Simple software update to prevent the Erase All Option from being accessible without entering the passcode should do it. Though it's harder to leave something behind that's on your wrist (at least for most of us).
 
bbeagle said:
Why is only Apple Watch singled out?

EVERY smart watch and NON-smart watch - even those costing thousands of dollars more - operates in the same way. Lose the watch, or get it stolen, someone else can use it like it was theirs.

Every Rolex, Timex, Moto 360.... all work the same way. Why single out Apple Watch?
Click to expand...


Two wrongs don't make it right.
 
AND they are pretty recognizable - hence the reason that I don't 'show off' my edition(s) in public ; ) - I slum with my SS out in MTV's real world.
 
nutmac said:
While Apple Watch is singled out as usual, the fact remains, Apple can implement better security via software if it chooses to.

I strongly suspect better security is among the features Apple intend to implement and will be offered in upcoming software update.
Click to expand...

How, exactly would this be implemented?

Someone who steals something you're wearing must DO THIS BY FORCE. Correct? What would stop them from getting your passcode from you as well? You're being threatened by a punch/knife/gun, you'll give up the passcode as well. Now the watch is theirs.

There is nothing Apple can do about this.

Cell phone theft where you place the cell phone down and someone takes it is another issue altogether.
 
Rigby said:
Wow. So if someone manages to steal a watch using this trick that is set up for Apple Pay, they can use it to make Apple Pay purchases without any further authentication? That would basically negate the additional security that Apple Pay is supposed to provide compared to physical credit cards (which is what Apple uses to justify getting a share of the transaction fees from the banks).
Click to expand...

They can do the same thing with a credit card. If some thief got a hold of your cc, they can go and charge stuff just as easily.
 
Thunderhawks said:
This is similar to somebody stealing M&Ms from under my tongue and I blame Hershey's!
Click to expand...
Um, no. Hershey's has no way of protecting those M&M's from being stolen (and your hyperbolic metaphor is even more egregious given that it is a lot easier to take a watch off your wrist than candy from out of your mouth and you know this).

Apple not only has ways to make it harder for thieves to steal such things, but has dealt with the issue of theft over the years in regards to it's iPhone, iPad, etc. It has considered the issue and worked on it for nearly a decade, especially given that these devices relate to important data (unlike candy). So why not have such a feature for the watch as well? They can't possibly say they never imagined it being stolen or have no way of stopping it like Hershey's and their candy.

The onus for the theft isn't on them. But the onus of not providing watch customers with some kind of theft deterrent is.
 
bbeagle said:
AppleScruff1 had an acne problem when he was 13. I'm going to bring this up to single you out.

You can't defend yourself and say 'everyone at 13 did too' because 'two wrongs don't make it right'
Click to expand...

You defended Apple by bringing up the other companies.
 
bbeagle said:
Why is only Apple Watch singled out?

EVERY smart watch and NON-smart watch - even those costing thousands of dollars more - operates in the same way. Lose the watch, or get it stolen, someone else can use it like it was theirs.

Why single out Apple Watch?
Click to expand...

Because there's not even a primary market for junk like the Galaxy Gear, let alone a secondary market.
 
bbeagle said:
Someone who steals something you're wearing must DO THIS BY FORCE. Correct?
Click to expand...
No. Especially with the modern buckle, that watch can be released easily from the wrist, grabbed and run-away with. No force needed. Rather like someone grabbing a purse or bag you're only loosely holding onto.
 
adammull said:
Does my wife's engagement ring have activation lock? Does my Panerai or Rolex?

Gosh you people must live in the ghetto. Theft is the last thing on my mind in normal life.
Click to expand...

Spending about half my time in Sao Paulo Brazil, in some very up market neighbourhoods too, i can tell you theft is very much on my mind. If you're going to wear a watch here, you wear a cheap one, women wear costume jewellery, basically, don't take anything you can't afford to replace out on the street! Being in an upmarket neighbourhood isn't going to change anything, the risk of theft, with knives or guns is real and is everywhere, and doesn't only apply to wealthy people.

I had hoped the Apple watch would have some feature like iPhones which could render it unusable if stolen. As it doesn't, no sale.
 
Last edited:
jthesssin said:
The other smartwatches on the market don't even have basic passcode security, let alone findmy****.
Click to expand...

While it is quite obvious that you don't have much experience with other smartwatches (several have both passcode options, 'find my watch', and maybe even more important 'find my phone' funciontality in place) I agree with you; this is not a specific Apple issue at all.

For practical reasons devices like these really need to have a reset option if/when something goes wrong. Just imagine the outcry if an update froze the watch or you for some reason forgot your passcode - and the only thing you could do was throw it away because there was no other way of accessing it... A reset option of course opens up for bypassing all security measures.

I don't see that the Apple watch in any way should be more interesting for thieves than any other watch in the same price range though. And people aren't exactly getting expensive watches ripped off their wrists all the time.
 
Last edited:
Rigby said:
Wow. So if someone manages to steal a watch using this trick that is set up for Apple Pay, they can use it to make Apple Pay purchases without any further authentication?
Click to expand...

No. You've misunderstood the entire point of the article.

Apple Pay doesn't work unless the Watch is legitimately unlocked. What the article is saying is that you can wipe someone else's Watch (which would include the cards) and set it up as your own.

It's not about stealing data (which is arguably more valuable), it's about stealing hardware.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back