ArsTechnica reported yesterday about a security flaw in how iMessage works on iOS devices. Apparently, devices that have been stolen and remotely wiped are still able to send and receive iMessages from the original account associated with the device.
This is pretty scary! A friend of mine is prepping their iPhone 3GS for sale after getting an iPhone 4S. She is wondering now whether or not she should hang onto the phone, since there's probably no easy way to test whether or not a phone can send / receive old iMessages without setting up a new account.
Has anyone experienced this?
Via: arstechnica.com/apple/news/2011/12/stolen-iphone-y...
Question about
Is there a way to make sure iMessages don't go to an old / sold / stolen device?
top answers
dave's pick
Looks like this does not happen as long as you disable iMessage on the device before you delete the data from your device. Unfortunately, it appears that you are out of luck if your device is lost or stolen. That is definitely an oversite on Apple's part and I imagine that it will be addressed fairly quickly (although that doesn't help people who are affected now).
mark as good answer
2 people like this answer
Clicking the mark as good answer button helps us highlight the best answers.
community pick
Change your Apple ID/iCloud password when you no longer have the device, then the messages won't go to the old account as it doesn't have the new password.
mark as good answer
2 people like this answer
I experienced a low-key version of this scenario today when I received an iMessage on my old 3GS instead of receiving the text message form of the message on my new Android phone. I was wondering what was going on and realized that I had not disabled iMessage and that my 3GS was still hooked up to my wifi network.
mark as good answer
0 people like this answer
Supposedly if you toggle iMessages off and on it will disconnect iMessages from that UDID. I guess this is useless if your phone has been lost or stolen. Apple needs to do something about this and I'm sure they will address this in iOS 5.1.
mark as good answer
0 people like this answer
I recent started using a password lock on the mobile devices
when I took up 1password app
when I took up 1password app
mark as good answer
0 people like this answer
follow this question
share:
Related questions
8 users following this question:
This question has been viewed 949 times.
Last activity .
Tips for giving the best answers
Sometimes it's just little details that separates a great and not so great answer! Here are a few simple tips to keep in mind:
- 1
- Be complete and thorough. Don't skimp on the details!
- 2
- Try not to answer with a question. Because that's not really an answer, right?
- 3
- A little research goes a long way. Back up your claims and assumptions!
- 4
- Try to be patient, tech questions can be complicated.
- 5
- You are awesome for both reading this and answering questions.