Silly Power Off Question

[danielowenuk]

Ok, excuse the stupidity of my questions, but it relates to a lost/stolen phone.

I have a passcode on my phone, and will be purchasing a 5S which despite the fingerprint sensor will provide pretty much the same security.

My question relates to what you can do to a locked phone. On my 4S IOS7 GM I can power off the phone and switch it to aeroplane mode. Both of which would prevent find my iphone working.

Why does apple not disable these two functions when locked?

 

[maflynn]

I don't see a problem with it. I'm on iOS6 right now. I never really thought about shutting down with it locked.

 

[eyoungren]

The problem with shutting it down while locked is that a powered down iPhone cannot be located by FindMyiPhone. That's a problem if your iPhone has been stolen.

Someone who knows what they are doing can put a passcode protected iPhone in to DFU mode and restore as new thus working around and wiping a stolen iPhone.

OP, this is one reason I am jailbroken. I have iCaughtU Pro and a passcode set and it's set to prevent a shutdown at the lockscreen. Attempting to do so gives you a message on screen and sends me a picture of the person trying to shut down the phone. In order to shut down you have to unlock the phone and to do that you have to enter the passcode.

 

[steveza]

Someone who knows what they are doing can put a passcode protected iPhone in to DFU mode and restore as new thus working around and wiping a stolen iPhone.

This doesn't work because you need the same Apple ID to activate the phone again.

 

[deeddawg]

The problem with shutting it down while locked is that a powered down iPhone cannot be located by FindMyiPhone. That's a problem if your iPhone has been stolen.

I think the idea is partially to reduce the attractiveness of stealing the phone in the first place if it can't be restored without the owners appleID

Someone who knows what they are doing can put a passcode protected iPhone in to DFU mode and restore as new thus working around and wiping a stolen iPhone.

Are you sure ios7 doesn't require the appleID to activate following a DFU restore? I haven't tried it myself, but this article suggests that loophole is closed: http://www.iphonehacks.com/2013/08/ios-7-preview-activation-lock-find-my-iphone.html

You can restore the device by putting it in DFU or recovery mode when it is Lost mode, however after restoring your device, the person will be prompted to enter the Apple ID and password, so it won’t be possible to use the device.

 

[zorinlynx]

You can disable control center on the lock screen. It's in settings.

I don't think you can disable shutting down, though. Not that it matters much; the thief can still pull out the SIM card, at which point the phone is off the network and can't be tracked.

 

[danielowenuk]

I am aware of the steps apple are taking to stop people reactivating devices that are stolen/lost and found, not really asking about that, this problem is prior to that though, it's helping find my phone. Reactivated or not the parts on an iphone hold some value to a thief.

DFU mode requires a startup key sequence, which wouldn't be possible until the battery ran out if they disabled power down whilst locked.

It's a good point about the sim card mind.

 

[steveza]

Someone posted on a similar question this week that there was some legal requirement that phones can be switched off without a passcode, like on a plane. I'm not sure how true that is but it may apply more specifically to phones where the battery is not removable.

 

[eyoungren]

This doesn't work because you need the same Apple ID to activate the phone again.

Right. On iOS 7. But not iOS 6 or below.

I realize the OP mentioned that he's on iOS 7 (just reread the original post). I missed that the first time. Apologies for my misdirection of the topic.

 

[steveza]

Right on iOS 7. But not iOS 6.

Yup but the OP is getting a 5s which will run iOS 7.

 

[danielowenuk]

Right. On iOS 7. But not iOS 6 or below.

I realize the OP mentioned that he's on iOS 7 (just reread the original post). I missed that the first time. Apologies for my misdirection of the topic.

Be a little futile when apple stop signing IOS 6 as well.

 

[danielowenuk]

Would seem Siri can turn aeroplane mode even if you disable control centre.