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

PSA: Check your "Hey, Siri" settings under TouchID and Passcode

Apple_Robert

Apple_Robert

Contributor
Original poster
Sep 21, 2012
34,329
49,647
In the middle of several books.
If the "Hey, Siri" feature has been setup and turned on on your phone, you might want to go to Settings > TouchID and Passcode > Allow Access When Locked > and consider changing the default (all enabled) settings.

If you happen to put your phone down somewhere and forget about it, or if your iPhone gets stolen or ends up being passed around at a party or family gathering, you don't necessarily want everyone being able to find out where your car is parked, who you last called, where you live and other personal information etc.
 
  • Like
Reactions: arefbe
C

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,390
19,458
BasicGreatGuy said:
If the "Hey, Siri" feature has been setup and turned on on your phone, you might want to go to Settings > TouchID and Passcode > Allow Access When Locked > and consider changing the default (all enabled) settings.

If you happen to put your phone down somewhere and forget about it, or if your iPhone gets stolen or ends up being passed around at a party or family gathering, you don't necessarily want everyone being able to find out where your car is parked, who you last called, where you live and other personal information etc.
Click to expand...
Realistically that would similarly apply to even if you don't have "Hey Siri" enabled.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ABC5S and Apple_Robert
dangerfish

dangerfish

macrumors 6502a
Aug 28, 2007
584
133
When you set up "Hey Siri", it learns YOUR voice. Its not supposed to respond to just anyone saying "Hey Siri."
I'm not saying that its 100% perfect but I just did a test. I put my phone next to my daughter's and said "Hey Siri." My phone responded and not hers. Then she said it and her phone responded and not mine. So I'm not too worried about a random person being able to invoke the command with my phone.
 
Apple_Robert

Apple_Robert

Contributor
Original poster
Sep 21, 2012
34,329
49,647
In the middle of several books.
dangerfish said:
When you set up "Hey Siri", it learns YOUR voice. Its not supposed to respond to just anyone saying "Hey Siri."
I'm not saying that its 100% perfect but I just did a test. I put my phone next to my daughter's and said "Hey Siri." My phone responded and not hers. Then she said it and her phone responded and not mine. So I'm not too worried about a random person being able to invoke the command with my phone.
Click to expand...
The feature is not 100% perfect. As such, Siri can and has, at times, responded to other people. Hence the warning.
 
C

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,390
19,458
M. Gustave said:
I don't have anything enabled on my lockscreen. Never understood why someone would want that.
Click to expand...
Well, widgets can be convenient to just quickly swipe over and see something like sport scores or upcoming appointment or something similar. Same can go for notifications. With Touch ID though, those don't provide as much of an advantage.

Siri can be useful when you are in a car or have headphones connected and the device in your pocket or something like that and can quickly place a call or check on something. But of course the usefulness of any of those things can be different for different people (for different reasons).
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Apple_Robert
J

joeblow7777

macrumors 604
Sep 7, 2010
7,044
8,749
M. Gustave said:
I don't have anything enabled on my lockscreen. Never understood why someone would want that.
Click to expand...

I agree. I'm all for balancing convenience with security, but given that TouchID gives me the ability to unlock my phone in a second with no effort, I see no need to have anything accessible while the phone is locked.
 
  • Like
Reactions: simonmet and M. Gustave
R

rijc99

macrumors 6502a
Apr 27, 2015
853
645
dangerfish said:
When you set up "Hey Siri", it learns YOUR voice. Its not supposed to respond to just anyone saying "Hey Siri."
I'm not saying that its 100% perfect but I just did a test. I put my phone next to my daughter's and said "Hey Siri." My phone responded and not hers. Then she said it and her phone responded and not mine. So I'm not too worried about a random person being able to invoke the command with my phone.
Click to expand...

Pretend to talk like a girl and you'll be able to get her phone to activate. Or, alternatively, have your daughter deepen her voice. I can trick my wife's phone by talking at a higher pitch.
 
C

cynics

macrumors G4
Jan 8, 2012
11,959
2,154
Realistically you can't get too far with just "Hey Siri" from the lock screen. If you ask where did I park my car, contact information, message information that isn't already on the lock screen, etc etc she will say "You will need to unlock your iPhone first".

Tragedy adverted!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mlrollin91 and Channan
swordfish5736

swordfish5736

macrumors 68000
Jun 29, 2007
1,898
106
Cesspool
C DM said:
Well, widgets can be convenient to just quickly swipe over and see something like sport scores or upcoming appointment or something similar. Same can go for notifications. With Touch ID though, those don't provide as much of an advantage.

Siri can be useful when you are in a car or have headphones connected and the device in your pocket or something like that and can quickly place a call or check on something. But of course the usefulness of any of those things can be different for different people (for different reasons).
Click to expand...

Pre-iOS 10 I was usability > security and had access to notifications/widgets and CC. With iOS 10 though if you don't use rest to open you can turn access to those things off, and rest your finger to authenticate and allow access.
 
T

Thor_1

macrumors 6502a
Sep 18, 2016
950
624
Texas
I can make any phone respond to hey Siri if I hear the person talk. But like others have said, without touch or passcode, can't get far. Old news
 
R

rijc99

macrumors 6502a
Apr 27, 2015
853
645
cynics said:
Realistically you can't get too far with just "Hey Siri" from the lock screen. If you ask where did I park my car, contact information, message information that isn't already on the lock screen, etc etc she will say "You will need to unlock your iPhone first".

Tragedy adverted!
Click to expand...

If Siri from lock screen is enabled... try this:

Activate Siri with a non registered finger.
Say "Take me home"
Leave the phone alone for a few seconds.

Mine tells me my home address then how to get there. Is this a bug?
 
  • Like
Reactions: simonmet
mrex

mrex

macrumors 68040
Jul 16, 2014
3,458
1,527
europe
dangerfish said:
When you set up "Hey Siri", it learns YOUR voice. Its not supposed to respond to just anyone saying "Hey Siri."
I'm not saying that its 100% perfect but I just did a test. I put my phone next to my daughter's and said "Hey Siri." My phone responded and not hers. Then she said it and her phone responded and not mine. So I'm not too worried about a random person being able to invoke the command with my phone.
Click to expand...

It is not even 1% perfect. Maybe it is recognizing the difference between a female and a male but surely not between two males. When i had Siri enabled it responded even a spoken language around and activated from time to time. My bf activated my Siri all the time just to tease me when i was using my phone.
 
C

cynics

macrumors G4
Jan 8, 2012
11,959
2,154
rijc99 said:
If Siri from lock screen is enabled... try this:

Activate Siri with a non registered finger.
Say "Take me home"
Leave the phone alone for a few seconds.

Mine tells me my home address then how to get there. Is this a bug?
Click to expand...

That works. I don't think it's a bug, but maybe it could be.

I don't want to dismiss your concerns (I'd leave Siri off on the lock screen if I were you) but there are easier way to get someone's address without stealing any physical objects from them. iPhones are generally > $500 dollars making it a felony. Better off stealing their wallet and looking at their ID.

OR you can get someone's address for free if you merely know there name. If you are willing to pay a few bucks you can get their home address from an email address or other obscure information. Sites like spokeo.com and a variety of others make it very easy.
 
Channan

Channan

macrumors 68030
Mar 7, 2012
2,866
3,051
New Orleans
M. Gustave said:
I don't have anything enabled on my lockscreen. Never understood why someone would want that.
Click to expand...
I don't restrict notifications on my lock screen because I don't care if someone happens to read my messages if I set my phone down. That's almost never the case as I'm usually either holding it or it's in my pocket.

The benefit of being able to read messages and know whether I need to respond without unlocking my phone outweighs the potential of someone reading my messages. I just don't want someone being able to get into my phone and have unrestricted access.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AintDutchNotMuch
M. Gustave

M. Gustave

macrumors 68000
Jun 6, 2015
1,856
1,712
Grand Budapest Hotel
Channan said:
I don't restrict notifications on my lock screen because I don't care if someone happens to read my messages if I set my phone down. That's almost never the case as I'm usually either holding it or it's in my pocket.

The benefit of being able to read messages and know whether I need to respond without unlocking my phone outweighs the potential of someone reading my messages. I just don't want someone being able to get into my phone and have unrestricted access.
Click to expand...

I guess you don't have two nosy daughters. Who texted you Daddy?!?? Mommy said the F word!!!
 
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