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Bypass mandatory lock screen??

peanutismint

peanutismint

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 4, 2007
437
9
Cardiff, UK
My company provides free wifi throughout our building via an account system, i.e. when you connect to the wifi you are re-directed to a login website into which you put your personal details and it then allows you to access the rest of the web. They also provide a profile for mobile devices such as iPhones; when you set up your device with this system it automatically connects you to the network without the need for your login details each time.

Obviously, the mobile profile version is the preferred method of access as you don't have to re-enter your password each time you wake your phone from standby. The only problem with this method is that, recently, they updated the profile to alter your iPhone settings to enable the passcode lock, so basically if you want to use this other network, you have to unlock your iPhone with a passcode every time you wake it from standby. This blows.

I've emailed the IT department regarding this but they said the passcode system is mandatory because it protects users from unauthorised web access through their mobile devices. Which I think is a bit heavy-handed; if someone else gets ahold of my iPhone, whether or not they browse the web from it is likely to be the least of my worries.

Does anybody know if there's a way to edit the profile to disable the mandatory lock screen settings?
 
peanutismint said:
My company provides free wifi throughout our building via an account system, i.e. when you connect to the wifi you are re-directed to a login website into which you put your personal details and it then allows you to access the rest of the web. They also provide a profile for mobile devices such as iPhones; when you set up your device with this system it automatically connects you to the network without the need for your login details each time.

Obviously, the mobile profile version is the preferred method of access as you don't have to re-enter your password each time you wake your phone from standby. The only problem with this method is that, recently, they updated the profile to alter your iPhone settings to enable the passcode lock, so basically if you want to use this other network, you have to unlock your iPhone with a passcode every time you wake it from standby. This blows.

I've emailed the IT department regarding this but they said the passcode system is mandatory because it protects users from unauthorised web access through their mobile devices. Which I think is a bit heavy-handed; if someone else gets ahold of my iPhone, whether or not they browse the web from it is likely to be the least of my worries.

Does anybody know if there's a way to edit the profile to disable the mandatory lock screen settings?
Click to expand...

Install exchange unlocked from Cydia which will by pass the lock screen. Hopefully, this is what you need.
 
Crystal-RX said:
Install exchange unlocked from Cydia which will by pass the lock screen. Hopefully, this is what you need.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestion; unfortunately I just *had* to update to iOS 5 and lost my jailbreak - haven't gotten around to jailbreaking again yet (it's still tethered only, isn't it?) but will definitely give that a try once I do! :)
 
Just be aware that you will be violating your company's security policies. I don't know about where you work, but that'll get you fired from a lot of companies.
 
Are you stupid?! The REASON it's pass code locked is because they don't want someone gaining control of a device that is automatically on the wifi network!

It makes complete sense!

If you don't want to use their WiFi, then don't!
 
Most of the time the profile that forces the mandatory lock screen is tied to accessing your company email from your device. Delete their mail server from your device and you will most likely be able to turn off the mandatory lock screen.
 
thewitt said:
Most of the time the profile that forces the mandatory lock screen is tied to accessing your company email from your device. Delete their mail server from your device and you will most likely be able to turn off the mandatory lock screen.
Click to expand...

This is most likely the case. Removing the (MS Exchange) account from mail will likely remove the passcode requirement too.

Also keep in mind that allowing your IT department to set such security policies on your phone allows them to do a remote wipe of your device anytime (you could initiate it too, if you lose it).
 
thewitt said:
Most of the time the profile that forces the mandatory lock screen is tied to accessing your company email from your device. Delete their mail server from your device and you will most likely be able to turn off the mandatory lock screen.
Click to expand...

psejcf said:
This is most likely the case. Removing the (MS Exchange) account from mail will likely remove the passcode requirement too.
Click to expand...

Crystal-RX said:
Once you remove the MS exchange account. The passcode still on, you will then need to go into setting and turn it off.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tips. This makes sense, but I access my work email via IMAP settings (is this different from Exchange?); the only 'Exchange' account I have set up on my phone is pushing my Gmail messages and synching my Google calendars etc.... Would it be this that's causing the passcode lock? As I say, it's only recently appeared when I've installed a new profile provided by the IT dept; before this it was not an issue...

thelatinist said:
Just be aware that you will be violating your company's security policies. I don't know about where you work, but that'll get you fired from a lot of companies.
Click to expand...

thewitt said:
You would be terminated for that here...
Click to expand...

Dwalls90 said:
Are you stupid?! The REASON it's pass code locked is because they don't want someone gaining control of a device that is automatically on the wifi network!

It makes complete sense!

If you don't want to use their WiFi, then don't!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the life tips guys, but I'm not interested in debating the legality of what I'm trying to do, just how to in fact achieve it. I DO want to use 'their wifi', I just want to do it on my terms. I can afford to lose my job if that's a problem with them :) (what can I say? I'm a libertarian...)
 
TC25 said:
No, you're someone who doesn't honor an employment agreement.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, and who are you? And how do you know what the terms of my employment are? I'm not here for a flamewar, I'm just here for advice - if you don't have anything problem-solving to offer please kindly shhh.

Man, some people.....
 
peanutismint said:
I'm sorry, and who are you? And how do you know what the terms of my employment are? I'm not here for a flamewar, I'm just here for advice - if you don't have anything problem-solving to offer please kindly shhh.

Man, some people.....
Click to expand...

Then stop blaming your behavior on claiming to be Libertarian. Your employer has these requirements for a reason. If you find them so loathsome, then do the honorable thing and ask them to be changed and if that doesn't work, quit.
 
TC25 said:
Then stop blaming your behavior on claiming to be Libertarian. Your employer has these requirements for a reason. If you find them so loathsome, then do the honorable thing and ask them to be changed and if that doesn't work, quit.
Click to expand...

I'm not 'excusing' my behaviour - I don't feel that I should have to; I asked them to be changed back to what they used to be and they said, understandably, that it was changed for security reasons. I'm sorry if that then makes me a pariah because I want to circumvent these security methods, but let's remember that I am in fact posting in the 'iPhone Hacks' section... It's not like I'm asking how to access my organisation's CCTV system to delete incriminating footage of me stealing staplers; I'm just a lazy employee harkening for the old days of 'easy' internet access. Let's also realise that, to me, saying I can only access their network if I enable a mandatory passcode lock is like a car manufacturer saying you can only drive their car if you use a certain brand of petrol - wouldn't you be enquiring of like-minded people as to whether there was a method of using whatever brand of go-juice you wished in YOUR vehicle??

Just ask yourself - What Would Ron Swanson Do?

ron-swanson.jpg
 
peanutisdork.

I don't know who that total dork (peanutismint and several pseudonyms) is worried about "Honoring your employment agreement" what a gas. Thanks Joe Friday... but if we are hacking our phones we don't really care about your view on the matter...

"then do the honorable thing and ask them to be changed and if that doesn't work, quit." .... or just don't quit and change your phones settings.... what a narc. I guess someone takes their IT job a bit too seriously...


if anyone has an answer to the question of how to turn off the corporate passcode without un-installing exchange I'd like to know. my company makes me enter a small novella every 30 seconds on mine.
 
peanutismint said:
Would it be this that's causing the passcode lock? As I say, it's only recently appeared when I've installed a new profile provided by the IT dept; before this it was not an issue...
Click to expand...

Yes, this profile is what caused it. Remove the profile and you can remove the lock.
 
peanutismint said:
Let's also realise that, to me, saying I can only access their network if I enable a mandatory passcode lock is like a car manufacturer saying you can only drive their car if you use a certain brand of petrol - wouldn't you be enquiring of like-minded people as to whether there was a method of using whatever brand of go-juice you wished in YOUR vehicle??
Click to expand...

More like work offering to pay your gas... but they do it via a gas card for a specific chain of stations (76 for where I work, for example. Although it's tempting to point out the price differences and see if I can't get our location changed to Fred Meyer Gas)

----------
thewitt said:
Yes, this profile is what caused it. Remove the profile and you can remove the lock.
Click to expand...

Of course, then there is no promise it won't disable the auto-login.
 
topalli said:
I don't know who that total dork (peanutismint and several pseudonyms) is worried about "Honoring your employment agreement" what a gas. Thanks Joe Friday... but if we are hacking our phones we don't really care about your view on the matter...
Click to expand...

You just bumped a thread that died in Nov 2011 and HE'S the dork? :p
 
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