Sophisticated cyberattacks like NSO’s Pegasus are actively deployed to hack influential individuals like Jeff Bezos. Their ability to penetrate any phone, irrespective of the level of security guarding it, is what makes them so treacherous: they can be installed remotely, don’t require any interaction from the target, and collect a sweeping amount of rich data in no time. Apple’s solution for such attacks, as the name “Lockdown” suggests, is to shut off all functions except the essentials on your phone or computer. Here’s how iOS 16’s Lockdown Mode works and how you can use it.
What is Apple’s Lockdown Mode?
What is Apple’s Lockdown Mode?
Lockdown Mode is an optional setting in macOS Ventura, iOS 16, and iPadOS 16 — for its line of computing devices, including Mac, iPhone, and iPad. It limits what your device can do to block some of the most common channels cybercriminals use to infiltrate phones and computers. Here’s how Lockdown Mode affects your iPhone:
In the Messages app, the Lockdown Mode blocks most attachments save for images. Features like link previews are also disabled.It toggles off complex web technologies like the performance-boosting just-in-time (JIT) JavaScript compilation. This protects your device from unusual threats, such as JIT-spraying, a technique used to run malware on the target’s system.Incoming requests like the ones from FaceTime won’t be allowed unless you initiate them yourself.You won’t be able to connect a computer or an accessory via a wire when your iPhone is locked.In Lockdown Mode, you can’t install configuration profiles either. This is often used to download beta releases from Apple and enroll in mobile device management (MDM) for enterprise devices.
None of these restrictions sound harsh, but they have the potential to be a game changer in the event of a digital attack. For instance, take the notorious Pegasus spyware. In 2019, Pegasus exploited a fresh security bug on iPhones to worm its way in. All the attacker had to do was place a WhatsApp call to the target, and regardless of whether the recipient answered, Pegasus was deployed and ready to hack. Once it invades an iPhone, it can snoop on everything, from your photos to your phone conversations. In Lockdown Mode, however, requests like these are blocked automatically — eliminating the risk altogether.
How to use Apple’s Lockdown Mode on iPhone and iPad
How to use Apple’s Lockdown Mode on iPhone and iPad
Lockdown Mode is only available for the iPhone and the iPad on iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 and up.
