Activation Lock Protection
Locked with iCloud
Apple silently killed a special anti-theft tool that can help users avoid buying stolen iPhones or other devices that might be locked with iCloud. Apple’s Activation Lock checker is a simple site that lets you enter a device’s IMEI or Serial Number (both of them unique identifiers) to see whether the Activation Lock protection has been disabled.
A stolen iPhone that has the Activation Lock protection enabled can’t be used by thieves or anyone who buys it. A legitimate iPhone seller would remove the iCloud Activation Lock before making the sale. For the buyer, this simple tool would make it easier to check whether the Activation Lock has been eliminated or not well ahead of making the purchase.
But it turns out there’s a real reason Apple removed it without saying anything on the matter.
Rumour has it that Chinese hackers had been using the tool to find unlocked devices serial numbers and used them to reset iPhone serial numbers remove locks on an industrial scale. This means you can’t check the status of your Apple device online for now. It is unknown if the tool will ever return.
iPhone 7 Launched
Apple is taking action without making any announcements. This Activation Lock hack might also account for the series of reports that detailed a strange Activation Lock error. Soon after the iPhone 7 launched, some users discovered that their brand new devices were locked with unknown iCloud accounts, even though they were never used before.
That said, the actual process of unlocking a stolen iPhone is somewhat complicated and involves taking the phone apart, removing the logic board, and then removing the flash storage from the device. Yes, this is the kind of procedure that might permanently damage a stolen iPhone or iPad, which means your average smartphone thief might not be able to do it — check out the full video below to see it in action.