iOS 7 Activation Lock bypass discovered, protect yourself with Touch ID or Passcode

A bug has been found in iOS 7 that allows a an attacker with physical control over a lost or stolen iPhone to get around Activation Lock and gain access to the device. Unfortunately, the method for circumventing Activation Lock has been made public. However, the bypass process requires the attacker have access to an unlocked device, and be able to access the device after a reboot, so it can be thwarted by simply having a Passcode enabled (either by itself or as part of Touch ID).

Hopefully Apple is already working on a fix and iOS 7.1.1 or a similar update will patch it.

Nick Arnott contributed to this story.

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.