iPhone and iPad Passcode Lock Erase Data Option Experiment
I recently performed a test on my iPhone. The experiment was, that I tripped the "Erase Data" operation on my iPhone. Inside the next few paragraphs I am going to explain exactly what developed in addition to what you can expect.
Here is the thing that I did. I visited (Settings > General > Passcode Lock) and flipped "Erase Data" to "On". I then backed up my iPhone to iCloud and also to iTunes. And lastly, typed in the wrong passcode 10 times.
Fine, I really entered it six times when the big red "iPhone Disabled Try again in 1 minute" popped up. Immediately after the minute went by, I attempted it again and it locked for five minutes. My eighth test won me a 15 minute delay. And my 9th and 10th attempt each obtained a 60 minute "iPhone Disabled" delay period. I was required to enter an incorrect passcode the eleventh time before it ultimately wiped out all of my data.
As a side note. I made an effort to interrupt the lock-out by means of both a soft reset as well as a hard reset. Neither of the 2 functioned. I also tested the Find My iPhone status via iCloud and was successfully able to locate my iPhone. I then induced the "Play Sound and Send Message" option via Find My iPhone. The audio played, although no message was displayed.
So following about 3 hours of trying to trip the "Erase Data" feature, I was at last successful. My iPhone restarted to a brand new out of the box phone. This is the place where it all gets terrifying...at least in my experience.
I moved through the stages for configuring it. Chose my language, Country, and Location Services preference. It then took me to a "Wi-Fi Networks" display that enabled me to choose a WiFi network.
Along the base of the "Wi-Fi Networks" panel was an alternative to "Connect to iTunes". This went away right after my phone got back a cellular connection. It then switched to "Connect using cellular". I made a decision to connect using cellular.
Then I was offered three options: Set up as a new phone, Restore from iCloud backup, or Restore from iTunes backup. I made a decision to set it up as a new iPhone. I then keyed in my wife's iCloud details.
Sure enough, my iPhone 4s, or what was previously my iphone, was now setup and useable to somebody else. I was able to make calls from it and use it just as anyone who had taken my iPhone might have been able to utilize it.
Dreading the worst, I tried to find it through Find My iPhone. Just as I thought, my iPhone 4S was no longer capable of being found through my account. Nevertheless, I was able to find my iPhone 4S within my wife's iCloud account.
To change my iPhone back to, well, being my own once again, I went to Settings > General > Reset and tapped "Erase All Content and Settings". Upon getting asked if I was sure two times, the iPhone cleared and restarted. I subsequently setup my phone and restored it from my iCloud copy.
NOTE: If you ever sell your iDevice, make sure that you follow the procedures in the above mentioned paragraph. You don't want to sell off your iDevice with your personal info on it.
Bottom line
If you should want the smallest chance of finding your ripped off iPhone or ripped off iPad, leave this particular setting "Off". If left off, the criminal will disable your iPhone or iPad in the exact same time-frames cited above. That means that upon the 9th unsuccessful attempt the jerk would have to wait around 60 minutes prior to trying all over again. Of course, there is a chance that the thief may go through all 9,999 possible codes and obtain access to the information you have. That would definitely take substantial persistence though seeing that they will have to hold out a few years to get through all of them.
If your data is that sensitive, then I would propose heading to Settings > General > Passcode Lock > Simple Passcode and switch that setting to "Off". This enables you to setup a passcode which utilizes letters, numbers and special characters. That will give you considerably more then your 9,999 possibilities of the simple passcode.
Here is the thing that I did. I visited (Settings > General > Passcode Lock) and flipped "Erase Data" to "On". I then backed up my iPhone to iCloud and also to iTunes. And lastly, typed in the wrong passcode 10 times.
Fine, I really entered it six times when the big red "iPhone Disabled Try again in 1 minute" popped up. Immediately after the minute went by, I attempted it again and it locked for five minutes. My eighth test won me a 15 minute delay. And my 9th and 10th attempt each obtained a 60 minute "iPhone Disabled" delay period. I was required to enter an incorrect passcode the eleventh time before it ultimately wiped out all of my data.
As a side note. I made an effort to interrupt the lock-out by means of both a soft reset as well as a hard reset. Neither of the 2 functioned. I also tested the Find My iPhone status via iCloud and was successfully able to locate my iPhone. I then induced the "Play Sound and Send Message" option via Find My iPhone. The audio played, although no message was displayed.
So following about 3 hours of trying to trip the "Erase Data" feature, I was at last successful. My iPhone restarted to a brand new out of the box phone. This is the place where it all gets terrifying...at least in my experience.
I moved through the stages for configuring it. Chose my language, Country, and Location Services preference. It then took me to a "Wi-Fi Networks" display that enabled me to choose a WiFi network.
Along the base of the "Wi-Fi Networks" panel was an alternative to "Connect to iTunes". This went away right after my phone got back a cellular connection. It then switched to "Connect using cellular". I made a decision to connect using cellular.
Then I was offered three options: Set up as a new phone, Restore from iCloud backup, or Restore from iTunes backup. I made a decision to set it up as a new iPhone. I then keyed in my wife's iCloud details.
Sure enough, my iPhone 4s, or what was previously my iphone, was now setup and useable to somebody else. I was able to make calls from it and use it just as anyone who had taken my iPhone might have been able to utilize it.
Dreading the worst, I tried to find it through Find My iPhone. Just as I thought, my iPhone 4S was no longer capable of being found through my account. Nevertheless, I was able to find my iPhone 4S within my wife's iCloud account.
To change my iPhone back to, well, being my own once again, I went to Settings > General > Reset and tapped "Erase All Content and Settings". Upon getting asked if I was sure two times, the iPhone cleared and restarted. I subsequently setup my phone and restored it from my iCloud copy.
NOTE: If you ever sell your iDevice, make sure that you follow the procedures in the above mentioned paragraph. You don't want to sell off your iDevice with your personal info on it.
Bottom line
If you should want the smallest chance of finding your ripped off iPhone or ripped off iPad, leave this particular setting "Off". If left off, the criminal will disable your iPhone or iPad in the exact same time-frames cited above. That means that upon the 9th unsuccessful attempt the jerk would have to wait around 60 minutes prior to trying all over again. Of course, there is a chance that the thief may go through all 9,999 possible codes and obtain access to the information you have. That would definitely take substantial persistence though seeing that they will have to hold out a few years to get through all of them.
If your data is that sensitive, then I would propose heading to Settings > General > Passcode Lock > Simple Passcode and switch that setting to "Off". This enables you to setup a passcode which utilizes letters, numbers and special characters. That will give you considerably more then your 9,999 possibilities of the simple passcode.
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