Last week, Apple began pushing out the latest iOS 16 software upgrade to millions of iPhones, coinciding with the international release of the iPhone 14 series. iOS 16 introduces several new features, including an interactive lock screen and the option to edit and unsend recently sent iMessages.
However, while many of the new features included with iOS 16 aren't tailored to consumers, a new security feature dubbed "Lockdown" mode provides additional protection to Apple device owners who may be vulnerable to targeted assaults. But what exactly is the iPhone's new lockdown mode, and what does it accomplish to safeguard users from cyberespionage tools like Pegasus? We go through Apple's new iOS 16 security feature in detail.
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1. Spyware from Apple and Pegasus
Apple has positioned its iPhones as the most secure gadgets on the market for years, and it continues to do so. However, a group of journalists released The Pegasus Project last year, which revealed that over 30,000 human rights activists, journalists, and attorneys throughout the world, including India, may have been targeted by the Israel-based NSO company's spyware Pegasus.
The virus targeted iPhones as well, using a range of flaws, including many iOS zero-click zero-days. Pegasus enables users to remotely extract the contents of a phone, tap into the camera and microphone, and access calls, location information, images, and messages without the victim's awareness - and without the victim even clicking on a link.
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Apple, on the other hand, fixed a security flaw that Pegasus used to install on iPhones in September. The US took harsh action in November, blacklisting the NSO Group, the Israeli corporation that built Pegasus.
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Following this, Apple launched a lawsuit against the manufacturers of Pegasus, claiming the NSO Group of "flagrant breaches of US federal and state law" relating to the damage caused by spyware on Apple devices.
A fresh allegation earlier this year alleged that Pegasus was used to get into the iPhone of a Jordanian journalist in December. The incident occurred many weeks after Apple sued the Israeli business for attempting to assault its consumers.
The Pegasus investigation demonstrates that iPhones, like any other "connected" gadget, are not completely secure and may be hacked.
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2. What exactly is Lockdown mode?
While Apple continues to fight the NSO Group in court, at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, the corporation introduced a new "lockdown" mode feature as part of the iOS 16 operating system.
Lockdown mode, which is already available with iOS 16 and will be accessible on iPads and Macs later this year, is a security feature that provides an additional layer of protection to users who are vulnerable to Pegasus and other sophisticated advanced malware. Apple refers to Lockdown as "severe," and when engaged, many iPhone functionalities are blocked - a price to pay for such security.
When consumers select Lockdown mode on their phones, for example, it disables link previews in text messages, which covers a person's identity by getting their IP addresses. The function just blocks the preview of a link, so users may still copy and paste the web address into their browser. Lockdown mode also disables some Safari capabilities that may harm some websites.
Certain complicated online technologies in your browser, such as web-based fonts and just-in-time compilers, may not render properly or at all. When Lockdown mode is enabled, you will see that you cannot receive FaceTime calls from contacts unless the user has already given the initiator a call or request. While Lockdown Mode is active, you will not receive Apple service invites, such as calendars and notes, from persons with whom you have not previously spoken.
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3. How can I activate Lockdown mode?
If consumers suspect they are the target of a spyware assault, they can set Lockdown Mode on their iPhone running iOS 16, which is now available for free download. Lockdown mode may be found in the Settings app's Privacy and Security section. When customers choose Lockdown Mode, their iPhone will restart and certain functions will be disabled. When you open Safari, you should notice Lockdown Enabled at the top of the page, indicating that Lockdown Mode is enabled. Because this is a temporary method of turning off iPhone functions that hackers can exploit, you can disable Lockdown Mode via the Settings menu if you so want.
Apple released iOS 16 with new features to boost iPhone users' security & privacy including Lockdown Mode & Security Check. These new security and privacy-focused iOS 16 features align with Apple's ongoing efforts to defend their customers.#cybersecurity #Apple #iPhone #iOS16 pic.twitter.com/dIZ7mcbRzs
— Towards Cybersecurity (@TowardsCybersec) September 13, 2022
4. Who should have Lockdown Mode enabled?
The typical individual does not have to be concerned about someone hacking into their phone and listening in on their chats or spying on them via their phone cameras. As a result, Lockdown Mode isn't suitable for everyone. Lockdown Mode, on the other hand, can make it difficult for attackers or spyware developers to break into an iPhone for journalists, human rights activists, legislators, attorneys, and high-ranking officials. While Lockdown Mode is far from perfect, it is a positive indicator that firms such as Apple are taking measures to improve device security and guard against malware threats.
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