iPhone 13 mini Data Protection question

[iphonefreak450]

I had to temporarily Turn Passcode Off on my iPhone 13 mini running iOS 15.6 which would mean that Data Protection is also turned off.

I had no sensitive data on the Files app or anywhere else.

I turned on the Passcode again entering my same passcode and now Data Protection is turned on again.

Would this mean my iPhone is not really encrypted anymore because I temporarily turned off the passcode and then turned it back on again?

As I said before, when I turned off the passcode, there was no sensitive data on my iPhone.

Now Passcode is turned on again using my same passcode and at the bottom I see Data Protection enabled.

Will I still need to factory reset my iPhone?

 

[eyoungren]

iPhone is always encrypted, even if you have zero security on your device. Pin codes, Touch ID/Face ID, Activation Lock are all there just to prevent physical access. Once someone has physical access then they have access to your data (encrypted or not).

But anyone trying to access your device without it physically present would have to break the encryption.

Resetting your device wipes the old encryption key, reformats it and creates a new encryption key. Without that key it's very had to break the encryption.

 

[iphonefreak450]

So do I need to do a factory reset even after I temporarily turned off the passcode?

But now the passcode is turned on again using my same passcode as I did before and I see Data Protection enabled.

Do I need to factory reset or not?

Please confirm.

Thanks.

 

[eyoungren]

So do I need to do a factory reset even after I temporarily turned off the passcode?

But now the passcode is turned on again using my same passcode as I did before and I see Data Protection enabled.

Do I need to factory reset or not?

Please confirm.

Thanks.

No.

Device encryption is an entirely separate thing and your pincode, password, Touch ID, Face ID, whatever you enable or disable (including 'Data Protection') has nothing to do with it.

Having to reset your device just because you turned off your pincode is also not a very Apple-like thing, don't you think?

 

[Lekro]

Data Protection overview

Apple uses a technology called Data Protection to protect data stored in flash storage on the device.

support.apple.com

 

[iphonefreak450]

Then what is the point of having a passcode?

If someone steals my iPhone if passcode is turned off, then they can still see and open my files/data. That’s the part which I don’t understand.

For example, in order to turn on FileVault for a MacBook, you MUST have a password to be set for FileVault to work and encrypt data. Same goes for an iPhone. Because during a first time setup of an iPhone, the setup will NOT continue unless you create a passcode.

If iPhones are already encrypted by default, then what’s the point of having a passcode to be set?

 

[jav6454]

Then what is the point of having a passcode?

If someone steals my iPhone if passcode is turned off, then they can still see and open my files/data. That’s the part which I don’t understand.

For example, in order to turn on FileVault for a MacBook, you MUST have a password to be set for FileVault to work and encrypt data. Same goes for an iPhone. Because during a first time setup of an iPhone, the setup will NOT continue unless you create a passcode.

If iPhones are already encrypted by default, then what’s the point of having a passcode to be set?

If someone access your iPhone without a passcode it's the same as if some accesses your Mac that has no user password as well. However, the underlying technologies will prevent any unauthorized access from outside the physical access.

My advice is to add a passcode. Even a simple 4 digit one.

 

[iphonefreak450]

Just to confirm this with a simple Yes or No answer.

Like I mentioned before, I had to temporarily turn passcode off and then turn it back on again.

Will I need to factory reset my iPhone?

Yes or No?

 

[VineRider]

No. You do not need to factory reset your phone

 

[DaffiDuck]

No. You do not need to factory reset your phone

I can see it took time to post this answer lool

 

[jav6454]

Just to confirm this with a simple Yes or No answer.

Like I mentioned before, I had to temporarily turn passcode off and then turn it back on again.

Will I need to factory reset my iPhone?

Yes or No?

No need for that.

 

[Mark Stone]

iPhone is always encrypted, even if you have zero security on your device. Pin codes, Touch ID/Face ID, Activation Lock are all there just to prevent physical access. Once someone has physical access then they have access to your data (encrypted or not).

But anyone trying to access your device without it physically present would have to break the encryption.

Resetting your device wipes the old encryption key, reformats it and creates a new encryption key. Without that key it's very had to break the encryption.

This is the answer. However, I will add that an Apple account is passworded, usually (hopefully) with 2-factor authentication, apart from the device’s passcode - so the only way anyone can get to your data is by ripping the phone out of your hand and reading it there 😂. Op: you don’t need to reset your phone.