How iPhone Thieves Hack Your Life: A WSJ Exclusive

You might think that losing your iPhone is just a minor inconvenience, but it could also mean losing your identity, your money, and your privacy. That's what Joanna Stern, the Wall Street Journal's senior personal technology columnist, has been investigating for years. She has exposed how iPhone thieves can easily bypass security features like Face ID, iCloud lock, and encryption to access your personal and financial information.

In a recent exclusive interview, Stern spoke to a convicted iPhone thief who agreed to share his secrets in exchange for anonymity. The thief, who we'll call John, said he stole hundreds of iPhones from unsuspecting users in public places like cafes, subways, and airports. He then used a variety of tools and techniques to hack into the devices and extract valuable data.

John said he used a device called a "GrayKey", which is a small box that can unlock any iPhone by brute-forcing the passcode. He said he bought the device online for $15,000 from a shady vendor who claimed to have connections with law enforcement. John said he would plug the stolen iPhones into the GrayKey and wait for a few hours or days until the device cracked the passcode. He then had full access to the phone's contents, including photos, messages, contacts, emails, and passwords.

John said he also used a software called "iCloud Spider", which is a program that can download iCloud backups of any iPhone. He said he obtained the iCloud credentials of the victims by either phishing them with fake emails or by finding them on the unlocked phones. He then used iCloud Spider to download the backups to his computer and browse through the data. He said he was especially interested in finding bank accounts, credit cards, Apple IDs, and other sensitive information.

John said he used the stolen information to make purchases, transfer money, create fake identities, and sell the data to other criminals. He said he made tens of thousands of dollars from his iPhone thefts, but he also faced serious consequences. He was eventually caught by the police and sentenced to five years in prison. He said he regretted his actions and warned others not to follow his path.

Stern said she was shocked by John's revelations and urged iPhone users to take precautions to protect their devices and data. She said users should always use strong and unique passwords, enable two-factor authentication, and avoid clicking on suspicious links or attachments. She also said users should turn on Find My iPhone, which can help locate a lost or stolen device, and activate the Erase Data feature, which can wipe the device after 10 failed passcode attempts.

Apple, the maker of the iPhone, said it was aware of the threats posed by iPhone thieves and hackers and was constantly working to improve its security features. The company said it designed the iPhone with privacy and security in mind and used encryption, biometrics, and other technologies to safeguard user data. The company also said it cooperated with law enforcement to track down and prosecute iPhone thieves and hackers.

Stern said she hoped her interview with John would raise awareness and educate iPhone users about the risks and challenges of keeping their devices and data safe. She said she planned to continue her reporting on this topic and explore other aspects of iPhone security and privacy. She said she welcomed feedback and questions from her readers and invited them to contact her via email or Twitter.

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