Apple Couldn’t Help A User As Hacker Changed Linked Phone Number

The Cupertino-based tech giant Apple often claims how secure its iPhones are. However, that doesn’t stop hackers from getting into users’ Apple IDs, granting them access to their iCloud and other linked services. Most recently, something similar happened with Packy McCormick, an advisor to the firm Andreessen Horowitz. McCormick’s Apple ID was hacked into, and when he asked Apple for help, the support staff simply said there was nothing they could do to help him.

Here’s What Happened

On November 27, 2023, McCormick took to his official X account, writing about how a hacker got into his Apple ID and, subsequently, iCloud. He also goes on to say that the hacker changed the phone number on the account, and when McCormick informed Apple’s support about it, they simply said that the hacker shouldn’t have had the Apple ID password and that they couldn’t do anything once the hackers “change the number” associated with the account.

Hacker Bypassed Two Factor Authentication To Change User’s Phone Number

The hacker not only managed to enter the password but also bypassed the two-factor authentication put in place by McCormick, even though the victim claimed he denied the request by tapping “Don’t Allow” on his iPhone. For the uninitiated, an Apple ID is linked to a phone number and an email ID, and when someone tries to log into it, they need either of the two credentials. Following this, they can gain access by entering the password and passing the two-factor authentication, which is supposed to prevent unauthorized access.

Hence, it is unclear how the hacker entered the password correctly and then managed to change the number related to the Apple ID. It is important to mention that this is not the first time Apple has denied any support in such cases. Several users have taken to social media and microblogging platforms for years, posting about facing the same issues. However, it is surprising that Apple hasn’t done anything yet.

Is There A Way To Prevent This?

Although there is no sure-shot way to prevent this from happening, users might benefit from using a lesser-known phone number and email ID to create an Apple ID, as hackers can easily gain access to publicly available information. Enabling two-factor authentication is often considered great from a security perspective, but it doesn’t seem to be helping users in this case. Some users suggest using Google Photos to store personal photos and videos instead of iCloud because it isn’t directly linked with one’s Apple ID, avoiding unwanted access.

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