Apple has unveiled a new feature for iPhone users, called Lockdown Mode.
The tech giant said the mode is an “extreme, optional protection” for the small number of users who face grave, targeted threats to their digital security.
Ivan Krstić, Apple’s head of Security Engineer and Architecture, said: “Lockdown Mode is a groundbreaking capability that reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting users from even the rarest, most sophisticated attacks.”
The feature, which will be coming this fall on iOS 16, iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura, will harden your device’s defence and limits what it can do – a move that should sharply reduce any potential of being targeted by mercenary spyware.
Turning it on will mean that:
- Most message attachments other than images are blocked. Some link previews might also be disabled;
- Certain websites might be inaccessible;
- Some Apple services like FaceTime calls will be blocked if the user did not initiate it;
- Wired connections with a computer or accessory will be blocked as long as the iPhone is locked;
- Configuration profiles cannot be installed while the phone is in Lockdown Mode.
Apple said it will continue to strengthen Lockdown Mode over time and is inviting feedback and collaboration from the security research community – hackers who find weaknesses in its latest feature can receive a bounty of up to US$2 million, the highest such payout in the industry.
This move by Apple is unlikely to address hacking/phishing attempts by scammers attempting to access your personal accounts but is aimed at those under state-sponsored attacks, like journalists and human rights activists.
*Featured image from Apple
By Samantha Chan \ 11:00, 18 July 2022