Forget Your Passcode? You need A 'Plan B'

[Anthony Bouchard]

iOS has a very good passcode system. You simply need to set a passcode and it’s usually enough to keep almost anyone with your iPhone in their hand out of your personal information. Unfortunately, it’s so good that it’s also secure against a person that forgets their own passcode, which ultimately leads to complications down the line.

iOS developer Gil Ben Moshe has created a jailbreak tweak called Plan B, which can be used to regain control of your iOS device if you forget your own passcode. As shown above, the tweak will add a button to your lock screen and tapping on it will launch a text field prompt that will ask you one of your two pre-defined questions. After you answer the first question, the second question will appear asking you to answer that question as well. If you get both questions right, you will be able to access the iOS device whether you have entered the passcode or not.



To use the tweak, you need to pay the Settings application a visit after installing it. There, you will find a preferences pane for Plan B where you can set both of your questions and answers, as shown above. After you enter both questions and answers, you can give the tweak a try without even respringing. You will need to type the answer exactly as you typed it in the preferences pane – this means matching the capitalization as well. If you enter an answer wrong, you will not be granted access.

If you install Plan B, it will not get in the way of entering your passcode normally, so you will be able to use your iOS device as you always have, but with the sense of security of knowing that you have an alternative. It’s important to select questions and answers that you know none of your friends and family would be able to answer because that would just make the tweak a pointless exploit to their advantage.

Functionally, the tweak does exactly what it aims to do, but the user interface could do with some work. The button on the home screen is far from attractive, but hopefully a future update could change that. You will find the tweak today on the ModMyi repository.

Name: Plan B
Price: $1.00
Version: 1.1
Repo: ModMyi
Developer: Gil Ben Moshe
Editor's Rating: / 2.5/5

Sources: Gil Ben Moshe

[Anonymous]

Not a fan of the looks... But the idea is actually pretty genius!

[*T*]

You have reviewed this once before. -_- facepalm

[lucca567]

But will it let you turn off/change passcode when you answer the security questions correctly?
Let's say I forget my passcode and I answer my security questions to get into my device. Will that be the only way that I will ever be able to get into my device until I restore?

[Anthony Bouchard]

You have reviewed this once before. -_- facepalm

This tweak came out only today. That doesn't sound possible.

But will it let you turn off/change passcode when you answer the security questions correctly?
Let's say I forget my passcode and I answer my security questions to get into my device. Will that be the only way that I will ever be able to get into my device until I restore?

You will be able to do everything on your iOS device that you could do if you entered your passcode, but it doesn't give you any special privileges to delete a passcode without knowing it. iOS requires that you enter your passcode to delete it.

[lucca567]

You will be able to do everything on your iOS device that you could do if you entered your passcode, but it doesn't give you any special privileges to delete a passcode without knowing it. iOS requires that you enter your passcode to delete it.

I can see the potential but in the end if you forget your passcode your still gonna have to end up restoring. Or from then on you could depend on the tweak called Stride to replace the passcode with swipes and patterns.

[Cer0]

I can see the potential but in the end if you forget your passcode your still gonna have to end up restoring. Or from then on you could depend on the tweak called Stride to replace the passcode with swipes and patterns.

Yea but will this be ok for the need when iTunes just needs the phone to be unlocked to do a restore?

[lucca567]

Yea but will this be ok for the need when iTunes just needs the phone to be unlocked to do a restore?

Correcttttttt

[suade8880]

Next there will be a tweak for Plan C when you forget Plan B. Hmmmm.... . I guess it's always good to have as many backups.

[emmanravalo]

This was out before right?! Im confused

[ddonuts4]

But will it let you turn off/change passcode when you answer the security questions correctly?
Let's say I forget my passcode and I answer my security questions to get into my device. Will that be the only way that I will ever be able to get into my device until I restore?

Back on the older iOS versions, simply deleting keychains.db via ssh or on your phone via ifile removed the passcode(and every other saved password on the phone). It didn't work on non-jailbroken phones or phones without the afc2add patch of course.

Edit: did some research and playing around and found that deleting keychains.db only worked on iOS 3.x.x. There is another way though. If you use Plan B, then while your phone is unlocked, back it up, then do a restore from a backup, you will have all of your data, except for your jailbroken apps. Interestingly enough, your jailbroken apps' settings will be saved and all you will have to do is install the apps again. You won't have to mess around with their settings.

[shopboy2]

I can see the potential but in the end if you forget your passcode your still gonna have to end up restoring. Or from then on you could depend on the tweak called Stride to replace the passcode with swipes and patterns.

i do not agree with you my friend because once you have gained access to the iphone you can either use ifunbox or any ssh program and navigate through the folders to delete the original password

[Mrteacup]

I understand the potential in this tweak but.. If you seriously can't remember you passcode that's sad.. And heres the thing I mean you'll like it if you lose you iPod or iPhone long enough that you don't remember it by the time you find it a new update will be out.. Or you'll just want a fresh start and will end up restoring anyway.. And if it's been a long long time you won't even be able to answer the security question..

[KernelPad]

Okay.. What IF you forget your Plan B? X_X

[Mrteacup]

Okay.. What IF you forget your Plan B? X_X

If you have that bed of memory you'll probably forget how to restore too X_X

[RRoD420]

OR just SSH into the phone and delete the keychain and keybag, passcode cleared!

[guitarplaya7777]

I don't see a real point to this tweak, PERSONALLY. I use my phone enough each day that I can't forget my password. The only application I could use this for is if I only used my iDevice once and a while. Again, that is just me.

[ttiger]

OR just SSH into the phone and delete the keychain and keybag, passcode cleared!

where can i find this files?

[Vader101101]

forgetting my pass code will be a difficult thing to do, given that it's keyed in numerous times during the day. Good back up, however the UI could get a facelift.

[RRoD420]

where can i find this files?

delete:
var/keychains/keychain-2.db
private/var/keybags/systembag.kb

reboot, your device will go into recovery mode. go into DFU mode and run latest redsn0w