A journalist from the Wall Street Journal noticed that it is extremely easy for a hacker to break into our smartphone and steal our private data. The problem is not specific to an operating system. The “technique” is the same whether you have an Android device or an iPhone.
If an attacker knows your PIN and gets their hands on your device, such as an iPhone, it’s easy for them togo to the settings of your Apple account and take control of it, changing your password. The American newspaper has thus collected several testimonials from readers who not only had their device stolen, but who subsequently lost control of their iCloud or Google account. Worse still, in some cases, they have had their bank account emptied.
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This mishap is not the result of a large-scale phishing campaign or a high-profile scam. In this case, the thieves simply exploited a flaw in iOS and Android. With just a PIN code, it is possible to access the settings of your phone and all the other accounts it contains.
Thieves can steal your identity with your smartphone PIN
Mishaal Rahman, of the WSJ, demonstrates that if your smartphone is stolen, you run the risk of losing access to your Twitter account. A setting in the Google account makes it possible to confirm a Twitter account password change directly from lock page your phone using the PIN code. This is not a problem if it is indeed your smartphone, but if not…
According to the financial daily, although both Android and iOS systems expose the flaw, iPhone owners form the overwhelming majority of victims of these abuses. One of the first steps you can take to avoid this unpleasant experience is touse any other identification technique (biometric reader, pattern, etc.) rather than the PIN code.
Source: The Wall Street Journal