iPhone and iPad Passcode Lock Erase Date Option Test

So here is the thing that I did. I went to (Settings > General > Passcode Lock) and changed "Erase Data" to "On". I then backed up my iPhone to iCloud and also to iTunes. And finally, typed an inappropriate passcode 10 times.

Fine, I actually entered it 6 times before the huge red "iPhone Disabled Try again in 1 minute" popped up. Soon after the minute went by, I tried this yet again and it locked for 5 minutes. My eighth effort got me a fifteen minute wait. And my 9th and tenth attempt both experienced a 60 minute "iPhone Disabled" delay time. I was required to submit a wrong passcode the 11th time before it ultimately wiped out all of my data.

Just one side note. I attempted to stop the lock out by means of both a soft reset along with a hard reset. Neither of them functioned. I also reviewed the Find My iPhone situation by using iCloud and was effectively allowed to track down my iPhone. I then turned on the "Play Sound and Send Message" option from Find My iPhone. The audio played, but no message was exhibited.

That being said, following roughly three hours of attempting to trip the "Erase Data" feature, I was at last successful. My iPhone rebooted to a brand new out of the box iPhone 4S. The following is the place where it gets frightening...at least to me.

I went over the actions for setting it up. Identified my language, Country, and Location Services preference. It then took me to a "Wi-Fi Networks" screen that allowed me to select a WiFi network.

Along the foot on the "Wi-Fi Networks" panel was a choice to "Connect to iTunes". This disappeared when my phone obtained cell service. It then changed to "Connect using cellular". I made a decision to connect using cellular.

I was then provided 3 possibilities: Set up as a new iPhone, Restore from iCloud backup, or Restore from iTunes backup. I decided to set it up as a new iPhone. I then entered my wife's iCloud info.

Sure enough, my iPhone 4s, or what used to be my iphone, was now set up and useable to someone else. I could make calls with it and use it just as anyone who had taken my phone would have been able to utilize it.

Dreading the worst, I made an effort to look for it using Find My iPhone. Just like I imagined, my iPhone 4S was no longer capable of being located through my account. However, I was able to track down my iPhone 4S with my wife's iCloud account.

To change my iPhone 4S back to, well, being mine once more, I went to Settings > General > Reset and tapped "Erase All Content and Settings". After being asked if I was sure 2 times, the phone deleted and restarted. I subsequently setup my phone and restored it from my iCloud back up.

NOTE: Should you ever sell your iDevice, you should definitely adhere to the procedures in the aforementioned section regarding how to wipe an iPhone. You shouldn't sell off your iDevice with your own personal information on it.

Conclusion

If you should want even the tiniest possibility of retrieving your ripped off iPhone or swiped iPad, keep this particular setting "Off". If left off, the crook will disable your iPhone or iPad within the same time-frames stated previously. Meaning that immediately following the ninth failed attempt the criminal would have to wait around one hour before trying once again. And yes, there exists a chance that the criminal might go through all 9,999 feasible codes and gain access to your data. That would definitely take significant persistence though seeing that they will need to hold out a few years to get through every one of them.

If your info is that private, then I would advise visiting Settings > General > Passcode Lock > Simple Passcode and turn that setting to "Off". This would allow you to create a passcode which utilizes letters, numbers and special characters. That gives you a lot more then your 9,999 possibilities of the simple passcode.

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