You might not have heard of the dreaded ‘Error 53’ message on Apple devices.
That is unless it appears on your iPhone screen, rendering your expensive piece of kit absolutely useless. Then you really will know about it.
Tech journalists claim the little-known error ‘will kill your iPhone’ dead.
If you’ve ever had your iPhone fixed by a non-Apple technician then you could be hit by it.
The Guardian reports that thousands of iPhone 6 users appear to have been left with permanently disabled, and totally worthless iPhones because of it.
Basically it appears to impact phones where the home button on the front (with the touch ID fingerprint recognition system) is repaired by non-official third party technician.
It may also affect users whose phone is damaged but doesn’t need repairs to be carried out.
The problem comes when people try to update with new Apple iOS software. The Guardian report that when it updates the phone is rendered utterly useless and all data and photos are irretrievably lost.
There doesn’t appear to be any software fix, no way to change any parts or even a way to access the phone’s memory – it is ‘bricked’ (rendered as useful as a brick).
“The problem occurs if the repairer changes the home button or the cable,” iFixit tech expert Kyle Wiens told the Guardian.
“Following the software upgrade the phone in effect checks to make sure it is still using the original components, and if it isn’t, it simply locks out the phone. There is no warning, and there’s no way that I know of to bring it back to life.”
Apple told the paper that fingerprint data is protected using a ‘secure enclave, which is uniquely paired to the touch ID sensor.’
This security pairing can be revalidated only by an authorised Apple service provider, effectively stopping a malicious touch ID sensor being substituted and the secure enclave breached.
So when iOS detects this pairing failing (for example if it has been serviced by an unauthorised technician or different components added) then touch ID, including Apple Pay, is disabled to make the device secure.
Apple said anyone with the Error 53 message should contact Apple Support.
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