Apple is locking some users out of their Apple ID accounts and forcing a password change, prompting speculation of an attempted security breach.
Many Apple customers have taken to Reddit and social media to report the issue, which kicked them off some services like Apple Music, without warning.
The company isn’t sharing reasoning with affected users who also lost access to Apple ID-dependent services like iCloud and iMessage as a result. TV viewing on Apple TV boxes has also been disrupted, users are reporting.
Apple often locks accounts for security reasons, for example if a user has tried to enter the incorrect password too many times. In these cases, two-factor authentication tools come into play and in many cases a password reset is necessary to resolve the issue and get users back on line.
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However, with widespread reports of this issue affecting multiple users without warning, it appears very much as if something else is in play. It could simply be a bug on Apple’s end, but could also be a result of a bad actor trying to force their way into Apple ID accounts en masse, or simply cause chaos through widespread account locking.
One Reddit user wrote (via MacRumors): “I went through the steps on my phone to reset the password and then obviously asked me to sign in again on my iPad. Really strange thing is when it went through the two step verification and alerted my phone it was showing the location of the iPad trying to login as Washington DC….I’m in Michigan…”
Apple is yet to comment on the matter, despite multiple requests from the media. Trusted Reviews has contacted Apple for an update.
Have you experienced any anomalies with your Apple ID this week? Have you been able to easily regain access? Share your stories with us @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
