How to bypass passcode lock screens on iPhones and iPads

With iOS 11, you can still bypass the iPhone lock screen and trick Siri into getting into a person's phone. The bypass is the same as it was in the earlier version of the operating system:

• Press the home button using a finger not associated with your fingerprint authentication, prompting Siri to wake up.
• Say to Siri: Cellular data.

Siri then opens the cellular data settings where you can turn off cellular data.

As was the case before, anyone can do this. It doesn't have to be the person who "trained" Siri.

By also turning off Wi-Fi, you cut off her connectivity access. You will get an error saying, “Siri not available. You are not connected to the internet.” But you don’t care about that error because you have already bypassed the iPhone lock screen.

Other privacy holes remain

Also still an issue: Anyone can use Siri to read your new/unread text messages, send text messages and see your most recent phone call.

To do that, again prompt Siri to wake up using a finger not associated with the phone's authentication. Then say, “Read messages,” and Siri will read any unread text messages from the lock screen. Say, "Send a text message [person's name]," and Siri will let you dictate a message and send it. Say, "Show me recent calls," and Siri will display your most recent phone call

   

iOS 10.3.2

Apple still has not patched the hole allowing you to bypass the iPhone lock screen. As of iOS 10.3.2 (and the 10.3.3 beta), you can still trick Siri into getting into a person’s iPhone.

It works like this:

• Press the home button using a finger not associated with your fingerprint authentication, prompting Siri to wake up.
• Say to Siri: Cellular data.

Siri will then open the cellular data settings where you can turn off cellular data.

Anyone can do this—it doesn’t have to be the person who “trained” Siri.

By also turning off Wi-Fi, you cut off her connectivity access. You will get an error saying, “Siri not available. You are not connected to the internet.” But you don’t care about that error because you have already bypassed the iPhone lock screen.

Not only can someone trick Siri to turn off cellular data, but they can trick her to read unread text messages and post to Facebook—a major privacy issue.

To do it, again prompt Siri to wake up using a finger not associated with the phone's authentication. Then say, “Read messages,” and Siri will read any unread text messages from the lock screen. Or say, “Post to Facebook,” and Siri will ask you what you want to post to Facebook.

We tested this with a staffer’s iPhone 7, with someone other than the iPhone owner giving the commands. Siri let the person right in.

While we wait for Apple to patch the hole, your best option is to disable Siri from the lock screen.