And both make it easier for Apple to fix new vulnerabilities and workarounds that arise more easily. But both features offer new and expanded opportunities for users to make it more difficult for adversaries of all sorts to achieve the level of access they seek. And when it comes to Lockdown Mode, in particular, one can only imagine what strategies researchers and attackers alike may develop to attack even this most hardened version of commercial iOS. Though Apple doesn't intend either feature to become a hot trend for most users, the fact is that the tools may find audiences and use cases beyond their intended populations. Turn on Lockdown Mode in iOS 16 by going to Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Lockdown Mode. “That includes continuing to design defenses specifically for these users.” “While the vast majority of users will never be the victims of highly targeted cyberattacks, we will work tirelessly to protect the small number of users who are,” Apple’s head of security engineering and architecture, Ivan Krstić, said when the feature was announced in July. In exchange, the goal is to make it much more difficult for commercial spyware vendors to discover and take advantage of complex exploit chains that combine vulnerabilities in multiple iOS features to take control of devices. Lockdown Mode is different in the sense that it is almost a parallel universe that users can move their iPhones into where luxuries like link previews in Messages, shared albums in Photos, and FaceTime calls from phone numbers and accounts you haven't called before are all blocked. To access the features, go to Settings, then Privacy & Security, and then Safety Check. Given this premise, the creation of purpose-built protective tools like Safety Check and Lockdown Mode is not just a logical progression but a necessary one. The benefit of this is that attackers are boxed out in the same way defenders are, but when hackers find and exploit a vulnerability, they can do it without being seen. The mobile operating system is extremely locked down and can't be monitored for suspicious activity the way other operating systems can be. Many mobile security researchers, including Reed, see major tradeoffs in Apple's philosophical approach to securing iOS. For the nation-state-type stuff and risks users may be facing from people close to them, I think these new features will absolutely help within the paradigm of Apple’s current security model.” “People criticize Apple for not opening up iOS enough, and those folks would say this is just a token effort to silence critics. “I do think that things like Lockdown Mode and Safety Check are good,” says Thomas Reed, director of Mac and mobile platforms at the antivirus maker Malwarebytes. As more governments and repressive entities around the world have begun purchasing powerful commodity spyware to target individuals of particular importance or interest, iOS's general security defenses haven't been able to keep pace with these specialized threats. The feature comprehensively restricts any nonessential iOS features so there are as few potential points of entry to a device as possible. Lockdown Mode, on the other hand, is meant for users who potentially face targeted spyware attacks and aggressive state-backed hacking. The tool centralizes a number of controls in one place to make it easier for users to manage and revoke access to their location data and reset privacy-related permissions. Safety Check and Lockdown Mode are very different tools, but Apple has built them both into its latest mobile operating system release as lifelines for digital worst-case scenarios.Īpple designed Safety Check as a feature for users who are at risk for, or currently experiencing, domestic abuse. This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
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