Toddler locks his Dad out of iPad for 48 years

[Davelfc]

Unfortunately one dad found out that his 3 year old managed to try and put the passcode in so many times that he cannot retry to enter it for the next 48 years.

Evan Osnos posted a photo on Twitter which shows that he is not locked out of his iPad for the next 25,536,442 minutes which is roughly 48 years.

Now putting aside the amusing part of this, how ridiculous is it that Apple have allowed their security system to simply add time to this degree. Surely anyone writing this security code would limit the lock out to a reasonable time, maybe 21 years (joke)

The guy claims it's true, and they also claim that Apple can do nothing.

 

[throAU]

That's what you get for giving your devices to children, unsupervised.

Of course, he can likely wipe and restore from backup relatively trivially.

If he doesn't have a backup? Well that's TWO dumb mistakes.

 

[NoBoMac]

Here's the Twitter thread for this.

https://mobile.twitter.com/eosnos/status/1114651667214032896

Some interesting guesses why: "known" iOS 6 issue and or battery completely drained and now the clock circuit reset itself to Unix Day One (Thursday, Jan 1, 1970; see that date showing in some of the photos others took of their devices).

 

[AutomaticApple]

Unfortunately one dad found out that his 3 year old managed to try and put the passcode in so many times that he cannot retry to enter it for the next 48 years.

Evan Osnos posted a photo on Twitter which shows that he is not locked out of his iPad for the next 25,536,442 minutes which is roughly 48 years.

Now putting aside the amusing part of this, how ridiculous is it that Apple have allowed their security system to simply add time to this degree. Surely anyone writing this security code would limit the lock out to a reasonable time, maybe 21 years (joke)

The guy claims it's true, and they also claim that Apple can do nothing.

When the toddler is 51, he’ll end up passing the iPad down to his kid, then he’ll get it locked again for another 48 years.

 

[MisterSavage]

I don't think it's ridiculous at all. Another scenario is when someone steals your device and is trying to break into it. I like that their retry attempts get more and more delayed.

 

[TheRealAlex]

Unfortunately one dad found out that his 3 year old managed to try and put the passcode in so many times that he cannot retry to enter it for the next 48 years.

Evan Osnos posted a photo on Twitter which shows that he is not locked out of his iPad for the next 25,536,442 minutes which is roughly 48 years.

Now putting aside the amusing part of this, how ridiculous is it that Apple have allowed their security system to simply add time to this degree. Surely anyone writing this security code would limit the lock out to a reasonable time, maybe 21 years (joke)

The guy claims it's true, and they also claim that Apple can do nothing.

This is what I don’t get and frustrates me about iPad and Apple. Can’t he just Factory Reset the thing and nuke it. ? It’s like a PC I’d just do reformat and reinstall Windows but with iOS you are literally Locked out.

If its under warranty or not, all I’d do is stick it in the Microwave for 2 seconds. That will insta cook and fry all electronics with no evidence of physical damage. And Pay for a warranty replacement or have it replaced under warranty and setup as a New iPad New Email and password.

 

[pika2000]

It's a good laugh, but Apple already outlines the steps to take care of this issue.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204306

The biggest issue is that it requires a PC/Mac + iTunes.

 

[MisterSavage]

The guy has resolved the issue.

Evan Osnos (@eosnos)
4/9/19, 10:06 AM
Update on toddler-iPad-lock-out: Got it into DFU mode (don’t hold down the sleep/power button too long or you end up in recovery). Now restoring. Thanks to those who shared advice!

 

[CrazyForCashews]

DFU restore.

 

[jerwin]

Aren't the passcode lockouts supposed to get progressively longer?

Before the 48 year lockout, the phone should have been locked for 24 years. And because the ipad hasn't been around for 24 years, the 48 year lock out should never have appeared.

 

[theapplehead]

Not buying this at all. That means that the toddler re-entered the incorrect passcode after waiting 24 years to make it double up to 48 years (assuming it doubles each time it is entered). What do y’all think?

Edit: Just noticed this has already been said. Apologies for the redundancy.

 

[haruhiko]

The delay is step up. In no way a toddler can make the count up to 48 years and at the same time still be a toddler.

 

[Johnny365]

Time travel.

 

[ascender]

A quick browse at that twitter feed and there's a few people on there saying they're having the same issue but can't do a restore as they've no backup and there's precious pictures on it. So no iCloud photos enabled either I'm guessing.

Surely everybody in the world now knows you should back things up. And with iOS devices its literally idiot proof.

 

[MisterSavage]

A quick browse at that twitter feed and there's a few people on there saying they're having the same issue but can't do a restore as they've no backup and there's precious pictures on it. So no iCloud photos enabled either I'm guessing.

It's painful reading that. You should have backups of your backups!

 

[JTBing]

I came to this thread planning to compose a witty, sarcastic comment about how this exemplifies the current failures of Apple and Tim Cook's leadership. Then I read the post and realized that people were already using it as an excuse to actually criticize Apple.

 

[digitalcuriosity]

So much for great security right.

 

[ericwn]

This is what I don’t get and frustrates me about iPad and Apple. Can’t he just Factory Reset the thing and nuke it. ? It’s like a PC I’d just do reformat and reinstall Windows but with iOS you are literally Locked out.

If its under warranty or not, all I’d do is stick it in the Microwave for 2 seconds. That will insta cook and fry all electronics with no evidence of physical damage. And Pay for a warranty replacement or have it replaced under warranty and setup as a New iPad New Email and password.

If you are not sure if there is a solution why are you frustrated?

Faking a warranty replacement and breaking the device, can it get any more bizarre?

 

[ericwn]

The guy has resolved the issue.

Evan Osnos (@eosnos)
4/9/19, 10:06 AM
Update on toddler-iPad-lock-out: Got it into DFU mode (don’t hold down the sleep/power button too long or you end up in recovery). Now restoring. Thanks to those who shared advice!

Good thing he finally learned iOS restore basics.

 

[AutomaticApple]

Good thing he finally learned iOS restore basics.

The average Joe doesn’t even know what DFU mode is, sadly.

 

[jerwin]

Evan Osnos has written this for the New Yorker.

https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/cracking-the-code-a-toddler-an-ipad-and-a-tweet

 

[pika2000]

A quick browse at that twitter feed and there's a few people on there saying they're having the same issue but can't do a restore as they've no backup and there's precious pictures on it. So no iCloud photos enabled either I'm guessing.

Surely everybody in the world now knows you should back things up. And with iOS devices its literally idiot proof.

But people don’t want to be told what to do... until they want to avoid being responsible/accountable.

 

[ericwn]

The average Joe doesn’t even know what DFU mode is, sadly.

Be that as it may, remaining misinformed or uninformed in this day and age is on him. The knowledge is out there.

 

[jerwin]

Be that as it may, remaining misinformed or uninformed in this day and age is on him. The knowledge is out there.

It is even available on Twitter.

should you ask.

as he did.