Four things to know about Lockdown Mode
Four things to know about Lockdown Mode
Earlier this week, Apple notified a number of individuals that state-sponsored actors may be targeting their iPhones. Some shared their alerts on X, including journalists and politicians in India. Apple has previously sent alerts about targeting with NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware, though we don’t yet know what the recent notifications refer to or when the targeting took place. If you received an alert and want to know if your phone has been compromised, contact Access Now, Amnesty International, or Citizen Lab for assistance.
Apple’s threat notifications provide additional steps that people can take to protect their devices, including enabling Lockdown Mode. This feature was introduced in the fall of 2022, and is now available on your Apple phone, tablet, laptop, and watch. Since Lockdown Mode is still relatively new, here are four things you should know about it:
Lockdown Mode is not extreme, even if Apple says so. I think it’s more accurate to say the feature provides protection against extreme attacks, such as the targeting of an iPhone with sophisticated spyware. It’s easy to turn on and try: go to Settings, Privacy & Security, and tap Lockdown Mode. Your phone will restart and Lockdown Mode will be on. The feature will not delete any data.
Lockdown Mode works, as long as you leave it on. Lockdown Mode is the best defense we have today against Pegasus and Predator. I have not seen any reports suggesting they can bypass this feature. Last month, Citizen Lab said Lockdown Mode would have blocked a recent attack with Predator in Egypt.
You can exclude apps and sites from Lockdown Mode, if needed. Some apps and sites may look different; perhaps icons appear as empty boxes or images don’t display as normal. Do not turn Lockdown Mode off, but exclude that specific app or website instead. If you have to do this, only exclude apps and sites you are familiar with.
Turn Lockdown Mode on after restoring a backup, if needed. After restoring a backup, double-check that your phone is running the latest version of iOS and that Lockdown Mode is on.
Lockdown Mode works on a managed device, but you need to install the profile before you turn the mode on. If Lockdown Mode is already on, you need to turn it off; install the profile; then turn it back on again. (Bonus item added on April 11, 2024.)
If you try Lockdown Mode and find that it does not work for you, I’d love to hear about it. It may be that we can provide feedback to Apple and/or the creator of a specific app or site. Send me an email on runa@granitt.io.