An iPhone thief known for stealing hundreds of smartphones has disclosed his tactics, shedding light on some vulnerabilities in the software that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) might want to look into.
What Happened: Aaron Johnson, currently incarcerated in a Minnesota Correctional Facility, confessed to The Wall Street Journal columnist Joanna Stern that he and his team stole hundreds of iPhones.
He said they would operate in Minneapolis bars, befriending clients, memorize their passcodes, and then steal their phones. Once they had the passcodes, Johnson could lock victims out of their Apple accounts, siphon thousands from their banking apps, and then sell the phones.
“When you got your face on there, you got the key to everything,” said the 26-year-old.
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His scheme took advantage of the Apple ecosystem and targeted unsuspecting iPhone owners.
As per the report, if thieves figure out the passcode of your iPhone, they could use Apple Pay to purchase things. Moreover, any app without extra protection, like email or Venmo, could be vulnerable.
Johnson’s operation underscores the need for device security, as they contain vital personal and financial data. His technique involved a simple trick of observing iPhone owners enter their passcodes before stealing the phones.
The operation was so lucrative that Johnson and his team allegedly made nearly $300,000, though he suggests the actual sum was significantly higher.
Johnson, who has prior convictions for robbery and theft, pleaded guilty to racketeering and received a 94-month sentence.
Apple did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comments.
Why It Matters: Earlier this month, Apple introduced a new feature, Stolen Device Protection, to combat such passcode-assisted thefts. However, even with the upcoming software update, potential gaps remain.
The report highlights the importance of Apple’s Stolen Device Protection, a security feature designed to deter iPhone theft. This feature, which prompts the use of Apple’s FaceID along with the passcode for sensitive actions in unfamiliar locations, aims to hinder perpetrators even if they have the user’s private passcode.
However,…
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