Smartphone thefts in London: accusations of inaction against Apple and Google
Smartphone theft has become a plague in London. Apple is profiting from this instead of consistently protecting users, complain disgruntled MPs.
(Image: Shutterstock / Donenko Oleksii)
British MPs have urged Apple and Google to better protect smartphone users from theft. Existing anti-theft functions such as the activation locks in iOS and Android are clearly inadequate, politicians and police officers explained in a hearing before the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee this week.
In London, a wave of smartphone theft is causing uncertainty; according to the police, over 80,000 smartphones were stolen in the city last year alone – 80 percent of them iPhones. The devices are usually snatched from the victims' hands on the street.
Activation lock does not seem to deter thieves
At the hearing, Apple was accused of profiting from the thefts and having little financial incentive to actively prevent them. This accusation was rejected by Gary Davis, the Apple manager responsible for data protection and inquiries from law enforcement agencies. The manufacturer has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in anti-theft functions and is expanding these step by step. According to Davis, 9 out of 10 iPhone users have activated the "Where is?" service, which allows devices to be deleted remotely. More than half of customers have also already activated the fledgling theft protection integrated into iOS.
The activation lock is intended to prevent thieves from setting up the iPhone again; the owner's access data or Apple account is required for activation. A similar system also exists in Android. Neither the Apple nor the Google manager on site could explain why this is not enough to deter thieves. Davis pointed out that Apple has now also extended the activation lock to individual parts in the devices to make the cannibalization of stolen iPhones less lucrative. Among other things, organized thieves use targeted phishing attacks to steal the access data and/or the device code from the victims.
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No more iCloud: IMEI blockade demanded for stolen iPhones
At the hearing, several parliamentarians urged Apple and Google to introduce a blockade based on the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity), which uniquely identifies each smartphone. They demanded that stolen devices should then no longer have access to iCloud and Google's cloud. Both the Apple and Google managers evaded the question of why such a block has not yet been implemented. Davis pointed out that such a system would probably lead to new attempts at fraud. However, an IMEI blockade "could be an obvious next step", said the Apple manager.
(lbe)
