How to Lock Your iPhone to Protect Against Spyware and Other Targeted Cyber ​​Attacks

If you think you might be the target of an evil hacker, there’s a new iOS security feature that provides exceptional protection for your iPhone from spyware, phishing attempts, and other sophisticated cyber attacks.

While anyone can activate the extended security measure on iOS 16 and later, most of you won’t have to because the cyberattacks it’s designed to protect against are rare, mostly targeting politicians, journalists, military personnel, investors, human rights activists, dissidents, lawyers, activists, civil servants and other potential targets of state-sponsored spyware for hire.

The new extreme security feature also works on iPadOS 16.1 for iPad and macOS 13 Ventura for Mac, which are still in beta.

What is the blocking mode?

When you enable Apple’s new blocking mode, you reduce potential attack surfaces and entry routes for targeted attacks and spyware exploits. The cybersecurity tool enhances device protection by restricting various features on your iPhone, restricting access to some websites, apps, and features, and even making some features unavailable.

• Messages: Blocks most attachments, except for some image, video, and audio file types, as well as clickable links and rich link previews (you should still see the URL). If you try to open an attachment, you will get a warning “Can’t open message in lock mode”.

• Web Browsers: Blocks some complex web technologies such as JavaScript JIT compilation, causing websites to load slower or incorrectly. Images and web fonts may or may not display correctly. If you need to run content for a particular website normally, you can exclude it from blocking mode as a trusted site. While the excluded websites apply to Safari, everything else also works for third-party browsers such as Chrome (left image below), Firefox, Edge, and Opera. In the examples below, you can see that the original web font (center) has been replaced (right).

• FaceTime: Blocks incoming calls if you haven’t called this contact before. The caller will receive a “FaceTime not available”message after a failed connection attempt, and you will receive a notification about who tried to contact you via FaceTime. Also, there is no record of anyone trying to contact you via FaceTime.
• Apple Services: Blocks new invitations for Apple services unless you previously invited the contact. For example, an invitation to manage a home in the Home app will be blocked if you haven’t previously invited it.
• Shared Albums: Blocks new invitations and removes albums that have already been shared with you from the Photos app. However, you can still view albums that have been shared with you in the Photos app on other iCloud-connected devices that aren’t in Locked Mode.
• USB Accessories: Blocks wired connections to USB accessories or computers unless you unlock your iPhone first.
• Configuration profiles: Blocks installation of configuration profiles and enrollment in mobile device management (MDM) or device surveillance. However, any configuration or management profiles already installed will continue to function normally, and you can temporarily turn off lock mode to install profiles as needed.

Who should use blocking mode?

As mentioned earlier, Lockdown Mode is designed for users who can become potential targets of malware or spyware attacks when the information compromised on their devices is of high value. For example, politicians, journalists, military personnel, investors, human rights activists, dissidents, lawyers, activists, civil servants, and other potential targets of state-sponsored spyware for hire.

According to Apple, “Lockdown Mode is an optional, extreme protection designed for the very few people who, because of who they are or what they do, can personally target some of the most sophisticated digital threats. Most people never become victims. attacks of this kind.

Unless you are a possible attack vector for particularly sensitive data, you will probably never find yourself in a situation where you need to use lock mode. However, you can follow the steps below to enable it.

How to enable blocking mode?

Go to Settings -> Privacy & Security -> Lock Mode. A new page will open where you can read a brief explanation of what blocking mode does. Click “Enable Lock Mode”to enable this feature.

After that, a new page will open with a more detailed description of the functions of the blocking mode. Once you know what you’re about to activate, tap “Enable Lock Mode”again and then “Enable and Restart”when prompted. You will be prompted to enter your password to continue and the device will reboot.

How to exclude sites from blocking mode?

Open Safari and go to the website you want to exclude. Click the Page Settings (AA) button, then Website Settings, and turn off the new Lock Mode toggle.

You can change the excluded websites by going to the “Block Mode”section in the “Privacy & Security”settings. Click Customize Web Browsing, then Exclude Safari Websites, and you’ll see a list of excluded websites. You can turn the blocking mode on and off for each of them.

How to turn off blocking mode?

Go to the “Lockdown Mode”section in the “Privacy & Security”settings and click “Turn off Lockdown Mode”. A confirmation message will appear; Click Power Off and Restart and it will ask you for your passcode again before restarting your iPhone.

Will Apple continue to improve Lockdown Mode?

Like most features, of course. In the future, Apple may include additional device protections for Locked Mode. And he’s actively making sure it’s one of the strongest and most reliable iOS features that the Apple Security Bounty program has to offer. A new category in the program is dedicated to getting feedback, workarounds, zero days, and other exploits from the security research community. To demonstrate its commitment to the lockdown mode, Apple has also doubled the bounty rates for finding bugs in the lockdown mode, and researchers can earn up to $2 million for qualified reports.