Apple prides itself on being one of the leading providers of data and hardware security, and which is now being passed on to the MacBooks. Apple earlier offered activation lock to its iPad and iPhone users and had already warned the owners that their activation lock needs to be disabled before the devices are refurbished. The lock links to the device where it is again used in case of user ID and password, and one is definitely required to remove the other.
The same warning is now issued to the owners of MacBooks. With the release of macOS Catalina, a lot of otherwise usable MacBooks will be heading toward shredders, said iFixit, a leading repair outfit. The lock-in question is a powerful instrument against theft, and over the years, Macs have been a center of several device thefts. The lock does offer sound security to the device, but if the devices are refurbished, it halts the usage completely, making the device scrapping necessary.
Users can follow Apple’s simple step-by-step process to wipe out data and setting from the devices. The users even need to remove the activation locks and ‘find my’ device features. ‘Find my’ device is not a completely new feature, but it earlier relied on different processes and chip. The T2 security chip makes it close to impossible for the users to do anything on a Mac without any proper ID credentials. It offers better security but reduces the device life when it comes to refurbishment and repair.
Over the course of the past 2–3 years, several devices have been refurbished and are reused by owners. But the challenge with new activation lock devices changing hands is a concern. Refurbishing companies are pushing the makers for a backdoor, but the problem lies in the privacy concerns of the first-hand users.