iPhone security has been in the news this month as Apple patched a known exploit. As promised, the company warned customers with outdated software on their iPhones to update this week. Meanwhile, Apple has said on the record that its lockdown mode has so far proven effective against hacking attempts.
iPhones in lockdown mode have never been hacked
In 2022, Apple introduced lockdown mode to iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Apple calls the lockdown mode a way to protect against “very rare and sophisticated cyberattacks.”
Lockdown mode is an optional extreme protection designed for a small number of individuals who, due to their personality or behavior, may be targeted by the most sophisticated digital threats. Most people will never be targeted by this type of attack.
When lockdown mode is enabled, your device will no longer function normally. To reduce the attack surface that can be exploited by targeted mercenary spyware, certain apps, websites, and features are heavily restricted for security, and some experiences may not be available at all.
Here you can see all the ways Lockdown Mode changes the way your iPhone, iPad, and Mac behave. The three most dramatic changes are:
- message: Most message attachment types are blocked, except for certain images, videos, and audio. Some features, such as links and link previews, are not available.
- Web browsing: Certain complex web technologies are blocked, which may cause some websites to load slowly or not work properly. Additionally, web fonts may not display or images may be replaced with missing image icons.
- Wireless connection: When you turn on lockdown mode, your device won’t automatically connect to and disconnect from unsecured Wi-Fi networks. 2G and 3G cellular support is turned off on iPhone and iPad.
Lockdown mode makes a dramatic change to the way your system operates, but it’s also an effective tool for users who are at high risk of being targeted by hackers using spyware.
Apple told TechCrunch that there have been no known cases of devices being hacked while in lockdown mode.
“We have not heard of any successful mercenary spyware attacks against Apple devices with Lockdown Mode enabled,” Apple spokesperson Sarah O’Rourke told TechCrunch on Friday.
Meanwhile, as promised, Apple is warning iPhone users with older versions of iOS that an important security update is available. Devices that cannot be updated to the latest software updates for any reason can use lockdown mode as a protection measure.
