iPhone users should turn on Apple’s stolen device protection feature

Apple’s iOS 17.3 adds “Stolen Device Protection” to counter thieves who obtain iPhone passcodes (e.g., via social engineering in bars) and then access iCloud Keychain, Apple Pay, and disable Find My by changing Apple ID settings. When enabled, the feature requires Face ID/Touch ID for sensitive actions and imposes a one-hour security delay for critical changes (except in familiar locations), providing time to remotely wipe a stolen device; users can enable it via Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Stolen Device Protection.