14 DAY TRIAL // iPhone users around the world are hitting another issue, as their Apple IDs are getting locked for no clear reason all of a sudden.
Posts online (here and here) seem to indicate this is a widespread problem happening in more than just one country, though for now, users in the United States seem to be most affected.
While specifics on what triggers the lockdown haven’t been provided, a warning shows up on impacted iPhones to indicate that the “Apple ID is locked.”
“You Apple ID has been locked for security reasons. To unlock it, you must verify your identity,” the message reads. To unlock the Apple ID, users just need to provide the account password and answer the previously-defined security questions they configured when setting up the account.
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While Apple has remained tight-lipped on the cause of the lockdown, it’s being speculated that a group of hackers tried to compromise a larger set of accounts. The lockdown most often is enabled when someone attempts to break into account and they input a wrong password for several times in a row.
“If you or someone else enters your password, security questions, or other account information incorrectly too many times, your Apple ID automatically locks to protect your security and you can't sign in to any Apple services. You can unlock your Apple ID after you verify your identity,” Apple explains on a troubleshooting page detailing the ways to unlock an Apple ID.
There are no reports of compromised accounts or data accessed by unauthorized parties, but you’re still recommended to unlock your Apple ID as soon as possible and then to change the password. Configuring two-factor authentication should be a priority too.
Apple hasn’t offered any statement on this potential incident, and at this point, it’s not clear how many users are affected by the lockdown.