Apple Orders Staff to Suspend Apple ID Password Resets over the Phone

As confirmed by spokesperson Natalie Kerriss this week, Apple has stopped processing Apple ID password changes requested over the phone, following an incident involving the account hacking of Wired reporter Mat Honan.

An Apple employee who is familiar with the matter told the publication that support staff has been instructed to halt over-the-phone password changes, adding that a 24 freeze was put in place likely to give Apple more time to assess the situation and come up with a solution.

The staffer speculated that Apple iCloud security policies might be in for some changes. The information obtained from this employee was later corroborated by another staffer who told Wired that Apple was halting all Apple ID password resets by phone.

The representative reportedly informed the magazine that Apple was going through system-wide “maintenance updates” with the purpose of preventing anyone from resetting any passwords over the air. The staffer said that anyone trying to reset a password over the phone should try calling back after 24 hours, or use the web-form at iforgot.apple.com.