Security News > 2023 > April > Using the iPhone Recovery Key to Lock Owners Out of Their iPhones
2023-04-21 14:19
Apple introduced the optional recovery key in 2020 to protect users from online hackers.
iPhone thieves with your passcode can flip on the recovery key and lock you out.
If you already have the recovery key enabled, they can easily generate a new one, which also locks you out.
Apple's policy gives users virtually no way back into their accounts without that recovery key.
The goal of the recovery key was to defend against SIM swapping, which is a much more common crime.
There are other, less privacy-compromising methods Apple could still rely on in lieu of a recovery key.