Just a few weeks ago, AIB announced that a new app experience was coming for customers. With that very experience rolling out to customers, unfortunately it hasn’t neccesarily been the positive update AIB had hoped for. There’s an immeasurable but noticable trend in discussion online around AIB customers being presented with “jailbreak” warnings.
As a banking app, security is important. Typically, as you would expect, the new AIB app runs a device integrity check on login. If it detects what it considers a security risk, it blocks access entirely and displays a warning suggesting the device may be compromised. The problem is that the devices being flagged are entirely ordinary handsets running current iOS, including an iPhone 14 Pro Max and an iPhone 16 Pro, neither of which had ever been jailbroken.
From the online chatter I’ve seen, there could be a wide range of causes for a phone to present something to the AIB app that it believes to be suspicious. For example, in theory, if you have a work profile installed on your phone, it may insist on a VPN which the AIB app won’t like at all.
But realistically, that’s a very common use case, as are many other legitimate scenarios which seemingly is leading to customers losing access to AIB’s banking app.
The practical impact is significant. Because the AIB app is also used to approve online banking logins from a browser, a customer locked out of the app loses that authentication route too. Without a card reader to fall back on, they’re effectively shut out of their digital banking entirely.
What AIB told Goosed
I reached out to AIB, and sure enough, was told that workplaces managing your phone could indeed cause issues. An AIB spokesperson provided the following guidance for customers seeing this error.
- Check for updates.
- Settings > General > Software Update
- Check your VPN connection
- Settlings > If you see VPN displayed near the top of the screen, tap it and disconnect the VPN.
- Check for device management profiles
- Settings > General > VPN & Device Management
- Check whether any device management profiles are installed.
- If the device is managed by an employer or organisation, these settings may impact security checks.
- Review recently installed apps
- Consider whether any security, VPN, privacy, or system modification apps were installed recently.
- If the issue began after installing a new app, remove the app if appropriate and test again.
The spokeperson added that, “AIB regularly put in place updates necessary to maximise security for our customers. The message described refers to a security feature which is there for the protection of our customers and their accounts. If the customer sees a message indicating that their device can’t be set up (an example may mention the device being ‘rooted’) it means the AIB Mobile App has detected a potential security risk on the device. For security reasons the app cannot be used on devices that fail security checks and don’t align to Apple’s standard security restrictions”.
Fair enough?
Well, no. Not really. Simply put, AIB cannot expect customers with legitmate phones which are being used for legitimate purposes though managed by workplaces, to simply be ok with losing access to their mobile banking app.
Ireland’s traditional banking apps and services are seemingly creeking from attempts to keep up with the likes of Revolut and Monzo amongst others who are bringing a modern digital experience to the Irish market. I remember just a few years ago when an expired cert brought down most of Bank of Ireland’s network, leaving you wondering just how digitally advanced these services are.
It’s highly worrying that customers of AIB out there, are on iPhone without access to their banking. And honestly, the troubleshooting that was shared when I asked about this doesn’t fill me with confidence that AIB appreciates this shouldn’t be something their customers experience. Adding to the list of gripes customers have, not least of which is the loss of “quick balance” which has itself a cult following in Ireland – but soon to leave as part of app upgrades.
What to try in the meantime
If you are seeing this error, it’s worth running through AIB’s suggested steps even if the odds of success. Go to Settings > General > Software Update and install anything pending. If there’s a VPN active, disconnect it via Settings or Settings > General > VPN and Device Management. Check the same screen for any device management profiles, particularly if your phone is managed through work. If you installed a new security or privacy app recently, remove it and try again.
If none of that works, AIB’s fallback position is browser banking paired with a card reader. Not ideal, but it’ll get you access if you’re stuck. If you don’t have one, you can pick one up at an AIB branch.
The TL;DR
AIB seemingly has a genuine bug on its hands, one that is locking real customers out of their banking with no clear route back in. The bank’s response, to its credit, came quickly when we asked, but a generic troubleshooting checklist that doesn’t acknowledge the underlying false positive issue isn’t a fix. It’s a way of describing the symptoms without owning the cause.
If you’re affected and the standard steps don’t clear it, browser banking with a card reader is your best option for now. We’ll update this piece when AIB confirms a timeline for a proper resolution.
