Many people say their Apple IDs were inexplicably reset last night

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses a widespread issue where many Apple users were unexpectedly logged out of their Apple IDs and required to reset their passwords. The cause of this issue is unclear, as Apple's system status page did not show any current issues with their services.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Unexpected Logout and Password Reset

1. What happened to many Apple users?

• Many people reported on social media that they were unexpectedly logged out of their Apple IDs and then required to reset their passwords when trying to sign in again.

2. What were some of the issues users experienced?

• Some users reported needing to enter their iPhone passcode to connect to iCloud again.
• Users with Stolen Device Protection enabled said they had to wait an hour before being able to log in.
• Some users also had to reset their app-specific passwords for third-party apps that access their Apple ID.

3. What did Apple support tell users about the issue?

• One Mastodon user was told by an Apple support team member that "sometimes random security improvements are added to your account."
• On Reddit, a person posted that Apple support told them their password "was changed around midnight."

4. Did all users have to reset their passwords?

• No, not everyone was forced to change their passwords. One person posting in a thread said a password reset was only "suggested," not required.

[02] Potential Causes and Apple's Response

1. What did Apple's System Status webpage show?

• Apple's System Status webpage showed no current issues with any of its services, so it was unclear if this was a widespread issue.

2. What did the article say about previous password reset attacks?

• The article noted that the issue did not appear to be related to the password reset attacks that several publications, including Forbes, covered in March.

3. How did Apple respond to The Verge's request for comment?

• Apple did not respond immediately to The Verge's request for comment.