Lockdown Mode is a sometimes overlooked feature of Apple devices that broadly make them harder to hack. A court record indicates the feature might be effective at stopping third parties unlocking someone's device. At least for now.
  • JubilantJaguar@lemmy.world
    1·
    6 days ago

    While obviously this is laudable, and better than not having such a mode, it still suffers from that same massive fatal flaw. Apple software is proudly closed source. If we can’t audit their software, in the end we’re just taking their word for it.

  • gkak.laₛ@lemmy.zipEnglish
    1·
    6 days ago

    TIL about “lockdown mode”

    https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/what-is-lockdown-mode-iphone-mac-spyware-when-use-it

    When you enable Lockdown Mode, Apple applies a strict set of rules that block or limit the riskiest paths attackers use to get in:

    • Messages: Most attachment types are blocked; link previews and some features are disabled.
    • Web browsing: Certain complex web technologies (like JIT compilation) are restricted – you can whitelist trusted sites if needed.
    • […]
    • Darkassassin07@lemmy.caEnglish
      0·
      6 days ago

      The ‘lockdown’ option on android just disables biometric unlock, smart lock (staying unlocked when on-body or within a geo-fence), and notifications displayed on the lockscreen, until the device is next unlocked. This has to be explicitly enabled by selecting ‘lockdown’ from the power off screen at the time of locking the device (turning the screen off) every time you lock the device.

      Apple’s implementation does quite a bit more; blocking incoming messages, links, and invites from unknown numbers, restricting potentially hazardous web browsing, and restricting wired connections.

      Not a big Apple fan, but they did pretty good with this.

      • Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de
        1·
        2 days ago

        you can however install Private Lock from f-droid (or directly from github if that’s your jam), which does that stuff automatically when the phone gets shaked/dropped:
        https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.wesaphzt.privatelock/

        Still not as good but at least it’s automatic, and afaik in many jurisdictions cops can only force you to unlock it with biometrics, and absolute worst case it makes things slighly more annoying for them so they might give up.