It is no longer safe to use a six-digit passcode on your iPhone.
Six-digit iPhone passcodes no longer offer adequate protection
Passcode
TrashFromLS lets you delete emails via the Lock screen without authentication
Depending on your iPhone’s notification settings, you might receive email notifications on the Lock screen as the flow of messages come in. While it can be convenient to see these email previews, it’s somewhat annoying that you can’t delete incoming emails from the Lock screen without authenticating yourself first.
A new free jailbreak tweak called TrashFromLS by iOS developer Kiran Patil was just released in Cydia this week and tackles this problem head-on. After installing it, you can move incoming emails to the trash without authenticating yourself.
New in iOS 11.3: increased pairing security for USB accessories
The upcoming iOS 11.3 software update will bring increased security when connecting third-party MFi-certified USB accessories to an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.
BioLockout lets you disable biometric authentication with an Activator gesture
Biometric authentication methods like Touch ID and Face ID come standard on most modern iPhones, and a new free jailbreak tweak called BioLockout by iOS developer ARX8x lets you take full control over when they can be used.
BioLockout takes advantage of Activator, so you can easily configure a gesture that toggles biometric authentication on or off on demand. You can set it up in the Settings app after installation:
Unlocking HomeKit security accessories via Siri on HomePod requires iOS device authentication
According to Apple's new online user guide, unlocking HomeKit security accessories like door locks through Siri on HomePod requires authentication using Face ID, Touch ID or a passcode on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch in order to protect your privacy and security.
How to quickly show the passcode keypad on iPhone with Face ID
Check out this quick tip that lets you manually go past the failing Face ID screen and type the passcode on your iPhone or iPad to unlock it.
Force authentication from your iMessage recipient with MsgL0ck
Some people take their privacy more seriously than others, and a new iMessage extension dubbed MsgL0ck by iOS developer Simon Andersson takes that sentiment into consideration.
MsgL0ck lets the sender require authentication from the iMessage recipient before they can read the message. In Apple-speak, this means providing a fingerprint for Touch ID or a facial scan for Face ID (or a passcode if the recipient has neither).
How to change your iPhone or iPad passcode back to 4 digits
Learn how to change the length of your iPhone passcode from 6 digits back to 4 so it's easier to memorize and faster to type when unlocking.
Google removes passcode/Touch ID/Face ID lock from Drive, Docs, Sheets & Slides
For reasons unknown, Google has recently removed the option to protect access to the Drive, Docs, Sheets and Slides mobile apps with a passcode, Touch ID or Face ID.
iOS 11 squashes a bug which let a $500 guessing box crack iPhone 7 passcodes
Apple has already patched a widely reported vulnerability which made it possible—albeit under some very, very specific circumstances—to crack an iPhone 7 passcode using a dedicated $500 hardware guessing box, a company spokesperson told TechCrunch last weekend.
New iOS vulnerability enables brute-force passcode attacks on iPhone 7
We've seen devices for brute-forcing phone passcodes before. This $500 box, demonstrated on video by YouTuber “EverythingApplePro”, uses an exploit in iOS 10.3.3 and iOS 11 beta to brute-force hack and bypass the Lock screen passcode of up to three iPhone 7/Plus handsets at a time—but it could take days to work, depending on the complexity of the passcode.
This new iOS 11 feature lets you disable Touch ID on demand and keep cops out
Apple has implemented a new feature in iOS 11 that allows users to quickly call emergency services when rapidly pressing the sleep/wake button five times in a row. Intended or not, this feature also disables Touch ID and requires the user to enter his passcode to gain access to the phone again, something privacy enthusiasts will see as a great feature.