Invalid email/password combination produces a JSON dump

[lindenmj]

Overview

Around version 1.29.x or so, one of my accounts stopped working while another account still worked. The bad account credentials did not change and icloudpd began dumping a JSON output that I had not seen before on previous authentication problems. This persists even with the latest version, 1.32.1.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Running Ubuntu 20.04.06, command line
2. sudo icloudpd -u user@email.com -p PASSWORD -d "<DIRECTORY WITH A SPACE>" --cookie-directory /cookie/directory/with/no/spaces --set-exif-datetime --auto-delete

Expected Behavior

I expected the app to begin downloading photos using the arguments I've assigned, as it has done in the past.

Actual Behavior

It produces this in the console:

2025-09-01 08:56:12 INFO     Processing user: user@email
2025-09-01 08:56:12 DEBUG    Authenticating...
iCloud Password for user@email:
2025-09-01 08:56:19 INFO     Invalid email/password combination.
2025-09-01 08:56:19 DEBUG    {
  "request": {
    "method": "POST",
    "url": "https://idmsa.apple.com/appleauth/auth/signin/init",
    "headers": {
      "Origin": "https://idmsa.apple.com",
      "Referer": "https://idmsa.apple.com/",
      "Content-Type": "application/json",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Client-Id": "OBFUSCATED-810530919",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Client-Type": "OBFUSCATED-1961643734",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Redirect-URI": "OBFUSCATED-1866116011",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Require-Grant-Code": "OBFUSCATED-4261170317",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Response-Mode": "OBFUSCATED-1578278625",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Response-Type": "OBFUSCATED-1997877400",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-State": "OBFUSCATED-1322006840",
      "X-Apple-Widget-Key": "OBFUSCATED-810530919",
      "scnt": "OBFUSCATED-1080461492",
      "X-Apple-ID-Session-Id": "OBFUSCATED-1939794523"
    },
    "cookies": {
      "dslang": "US-EN",
      "site": "USA",
      "aasp": "OBFUSCATED-1939794523"
    },
    "content": {
      "a": "OBFUSCATED-2665417089",
      "accountName": "OBFUSCATED-2149657519",
      "protocols": [
        "s2k",
        "s2k_fo"
      ]
    }
  },
  "response": {
    "status_code": 200,
    "headers": {
      "Content-Type": "application/json;charset=UTF-8",
      "X-Apple-I-Request-ID": "OBFUSCATED-2888085107",
      "scnt": "OBFUSCATED-450725492"
    },
    "cookies": {
      "dslang": "US-EN",
      "site": "USA"
    }
  }
}
2025-09-01 08:56:19 DEBUG    {
  "request": {
    "method": "POST",
    "url": "https://idmsa.apple.com/appleauth/auth/signin/complete?isRememberMeEnabled=true",
    "headers": {
      "Origin": "https://idmsa.apple.com",
      "Referer": "https://idmsa.apple.com/",
      "Content-Type": "application/json",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Client-Id": "OBFUSCATED-810530919",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Client-Type": "OBFUSCATED-1961643734",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Redirect-URI": "OBFUSCATED-1866116011",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Require-Grant-Code": "OBFUSCATED-4261170317",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Response-Mode": "OBFUSCATED-1578278625",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Response-Type": "OBFUSCATED-1997877400",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-State": "OBFUSCATED-1322006840",
      "X-Apple-Widget-Key": "OBFUSCATED-810530919",
      "scnt": "OBFUSCATED-1080461492",
      "X-Apple-ID-Session-Id": "OBFUSCATED-1939794523"
    },
    "cookies": {
      "dslang": "US-EN",
      "site": "USA",
      "aasp": "OBFUSCATED-1939794523"
    },
    "content": {
      "accountName": "OBFUSCATED-2149657519",
      "c": "OBFUSCATED-1942856417",
      "m1": "OBFUSCATED-3016782708",
      "m2": "OBFUSCATED-3663754350",
      "rememberMe": true,
      "trustTokens": []
    }
  },
  "response": {
    "status_code": 401,
    "headers": {
      "Content-Type": "application/json;charset=UTF-8",
      "X-Apple-I-Request-ID": "OBFUSCATED-218088663",
      "scnt": "OBFUSCATED-1875386351"
    },
    "cookies": {
      "dslang": "US-EN",
      "site": "USA"
    }
  }
}

[AndreyNikiforov]

I see you are supplying password through cli and it may be subject shell substitution. Try removing it and specifying only one --password-provider console. It is strange to me that the app asks for password through console though...

[lindenmj]

I receive the same error and similar output:

sudo icloudpd -u user@email -d "DIRECTORY WITH A SPACE"  --cookie-directory /cookie/directory/ --set-exif-datetime --auto-delete --password-provider console

2025-09-01 09:23:18 INFO     Processing user: user@email
2025-09-01 09:23:18 DEBUG    Authenticating...
iCloud Password for user@email: <ENTERED PASSWORD>
2025-09-01 09:23:26 INFO     Invalid email/password combination.
2025-09-01 09:23:26 DEBUG    {
  "request": {
    "method": "POST",
    "url": "https://idmsa.apple.com/appleauth/auth/signin/init",
    "headers": {
      "Origin": "https://idmsa.apple.com",
      "Referer": "https://idmsa.apple.com/",
      "Content-Type": "application/json",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Client-Id": "OBFUSCATED-810530919",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Client-Type": "OBFUSCATED-1961643734",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Redirect-URI": "OBFUSCATED-1866116011",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Require-Grant-Code": "OBFUSCATED-4261170317",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Response-Mode": "OBFUSCATED-1578278625",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Response-Type": "OBFUSCATED-1997877400",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-State": "OBFUSCATED-1322006840",
      "X-Apple-Widget-Key": "OBFUSCATED-810530919",
      "scnt": "OBFUSCATED-1875386351",
      "X-Apple-ID-Session-Id": "OBFUSCATED-1939794523"
    },
    "cookies": {
      "dslang": "US-EN",
      "site": "USA",
      "aasp": "OBFUSCATED-1939794523"
    },
    "content": {
      "a": "OBFUSCATED-343724356",
      "accountName": "OBFUSCATED-2149657519",
      "protocols": [
        "s2k",
        "s2k_fo"
      ]
    }
  },
  "response": {
    "status_code": 200,
    "headers": {
      "Content-Type": "application/json;charset=UTF-8",
      "X-Apple-I-Request-ID": "OBFUSCATED-1649197559",
      "scnt": "OBFUSCATED-801434447",
      "X-Apple-ID-Session-Id": "OBFUSCATED-2950245712"
    },
    "cookies": {
      "dslang": "US-EN",
      "site": "USA",
      "aasp": "OBFUSCATED-2950245712"
    }
  }
}
2025-09-01 09:23:26 DEBUG    {
  "request": {
    "method": "POST",
    "url": "https://idmsa.apple.com/appleauth/auth/signin/complete?isRememberMeEnabled=true",
    "headers": {
      "Origin": "https://idmsa.apple.com",
      "Referer": "https://idmsa.apple.com/",
      "Content-Type": "application/json",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Client-Id": "OBFUSCATED-810530919",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Client-Type": "OBFUSCATED-1961643734",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Redirect-URI": "OBFUSCATED-1866116011",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Require-Grant-Code": "OBFUSCATED-4261170317",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Response-Mode": "OBFUSCATED-1578278625",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Response-Type": "OBFUSCATED-1997877400",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-State": "OBFUSCATED-1322006840",
      "X-Apple-Widget-Key": "OBFUSCATED-810530919",
      "scnt": "OBFUSCATED-1875386351",
      "X-Apple-ID-Session-Id": "OBFUSCATED-1939794523"
    },
    "cookies": {
      "dslang": "US-EN",
      "site": "USA",
      "aasp": "OBFUSCATED-2950245712"
    },
    "content": {
      "accountName": "OBFUSCATED-2149657519",
      "c": "OBFUSCATED-4023226760",
      "m1": "OBFUSCATED-2828148429",
      "m2": "OBFUSCATED-484427104",
      "rememberMe": true,
      "trustTokens": []
    }
  },
  "response": {
    "status_code": 401,
    "headers": {
      "Content-Type": "application/json;charset=UTF-8",
      "X-Apple-I-Request-ID": "OBFUSCATED-2172484804",
      "scnt": "OBFUSCATED-3131115259"
    },
    "cookies": {
      "dslang": "US-EN",
      "site": "USA"
    }
  }
}

[AndreyNikiforov]

Let me step back. Am I understand the issue correctly that you are providing a valid password, but icloudpd responds with "Invalid email/password combination" message? There is also a confusion about dumping JSON, but that is not the actual problem, right?

Re dumping JSON - that is a feature to help debugging auth errors. It dumps obfuscated request-responses for the whole auth flow if the flow fails. There is a bug that does not dump content of responses, making those dumps half-useful; I am fixing it in next release.

[lindenmj]

Yes, correct -- I am providing a valid password in both the CLI and the prompt in these cases. icloudpd works with one of my accounts but not the other.

The confusion with the JSON dump was that it was new to me and wasn't sure if that was a feature or a bug!

[AndreyNikiforov]

let's see if auth dumps from 1.32.2 give us more insights

[lindenmj]

Here's what I got after upgrading to 1.32.2. I'm guessing this is telling me the password is incorrect?

sudo icloudpd -u email@address -d "/directory/with/spaces/"  --cookie-directory /cookie/directory/ --set-exif-datetime --auto-delete --password-provider console

2025-09-02 11:35:23 INFO     Processing user: email@address
2025-09-02 11:35:23 DEBUG    Authenticating...
iCloud Password for email@address:
2025-09-02 11:35:30 INFO     ('Invalid email/password combination.', PyiCloudAPIResponseException('{\n  "serviceErrors" : [ {\n    "code" : "-20101",\n    "message" : "Check the account information you entered and try again.",\n    "suppressDismissal" : false\n  } ]\n} (401)'))
2025-09-02 11:35:30 DEBUG    {
  "request": {
    "method": "POST",
    "url": "https://idmsa.apple.com/appleauth/auth/signin/init",
    "headers": {
      "Origin": "https://idmsa.apple.com",
      "Referer": "https://idmsa.apple.com/",
      "Content-Type": "application/json",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Client-Id": "OBFUSCATED-810530919",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Client-Type": "OBFUSCATED-1961643734",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Redirect-URI": "OBFUSCATED-1866116011",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Require-Grant-Code": "OBFUSCATED-4261170317",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Response-Mode": "OBFUSCATED-1578278625",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Response-Type": "OBFUSCATED-1997877400",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-State": "OBFUSCATED-1322006840",
      "X-Apple-Widget-Key": "OBFUSCATED-810530919",
      "scnt": "OBFUSCATED-1235186569",
      "X-Apple-ID-Session-Id": "OBFUSCATED-789345663"
    },
    "cookies": {
      "dslang": "US-EN",
      "site": "USA",
      "aasp": "OBFUSCATED-789345663"
    },
    "content": {
      "a": "OBFUSCATED-560631373",
      "accountName": "OBFUSCATED-2149657519",
      "protocols": [
        "s2k",
        "s2k_fo"
      ]
    }
  },
  "response": {
    "status_code": 200,
    "headers": {
      "Content-Type": "application/json;charset=UTF-8",
      "X-Apple-I-Request-ID": "OBFUSCATED-1910403946",
      "scnt": "OBFUSCATED-2138760351"
    },
    "cookies": {
      "dslang": "US-EN",
      "site": "USA"
    },
    "content": {
      "iteration": 20512,
      "salt": "OBFUSCATED-3711388925",
      "protocol": "s2k",
      "b": "OBFUSCATED-2555126264",
      "c": "OBFUSCATED-684096647"
    }
  }
}
2025-09-02 11:35:30 DEBUG    {
  "request": {
    "method": "POST",
    "url": "https://idmsa.apple.com/appleauth/auth/signin/complete?isRememberMeEnabled=true",
    "headers": {
      "Origin": "https://idmsa.apple.com",
      "Referer": "https://idmsa.apple.com/",
      "Content-Type": "application/json",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Client-Id": "OBFUSCATED-810530919",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Client-Type": "OBFUSCATED-1961643734",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Redirect-URI": "OBFUSCATED-1866116011",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Require-Grant-Code": "OBFUSCATED-4261170317",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Response-Mode": "OBFUSCATED-1578278625",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-Response-Type": "OBFUSCATED-1997877400",
      "X-Apple-OAuth-State": "OBFUSCATED-1322006840",
      "X-Apple-Widget-Key": "OBFUSCATED-810530919",
      "scnt": "OBFUSCATED-1235186569",
      "X-Apple-ID-Session-Id": "OBFUSCATED-789345663"
    },
    "cookies": {
      "dslang": "US-EN",
      "site": "USA",
      "aasp": "OBFUSCATED-789345663"
    },
    "content": {
      "accountName": "OBFUSCATED-2149657519",
      "c": "OBFUSCATED-684096647",
      "m1": "OBFUSCATED-699417087",
      "m2": "OBFUSCATED-3735179863",
      "rememberMe": true,
      "trustTokens": []
    }
  },
  "response": {
    "status_code": 401,
    "headers": {
      "Content-Type": "application/json;charset=UTF-8",
      "X-Apple-I-Request-ID": "OBFUSCATED-3168410995",
      "scnt": "OBFUSCATED-724937356"
    },
    "cookies": {
      "dslang": "US-EN",
      "site": "USA"
    },
    "content": {
      "serviceErrors": [
        {
          "code": "-20101",
          "message": "Check the account information you entered and try again.",
          "suppressDismissal": false
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}