Apple has currently announced the introduction of the ‘Lockdown Mode’ as a huge upgrade to the iPhone’s security. This is security hardware is designed for Apple device owners who may be at risk of spyware, malicious websites, and apps. In the past years, politicians, lawyers, and human rights defenders have been targets of malicious spyware organizations. Looking to access their personal information and details.
However, with the introduction of this feature, you don’t need to worry. This is because this feature keeps your phone protected from external attacks or cyberattacks. It is one of the latest features that provide the best security measure for every iOS device. You can turn on the feature directly from your IOS phone setting and also turn it off whenever you wish. It is easy and safe to make use of at any time and any day.
What Is Lockdown Mode?
The Apple Lockdown Mode is the newest protection feature that has been designed for the cellular protection of all iOS owners, who have either been specially targeted or are willing to prevent any further cyber-attacks. Allowing this feature to protect against, malicious threats is entirely up to you. It is optional and you can choose to enable it whenever you prefer. When you enable the Lockdown Mode, the first thing you will notice is that your device won’t run as it usually does. One reason behind this feature’s development is to reinforce a lot of routes into the iPhone, Mac, or iPad from the internet without excessively downgrading the ability to use the phone.
In simple words, it is trying to strictly enforce safety measures against malicious attacks without making the phone too restricting. One of the steps they have enforced is to block contact with people you do not know so only the people you do know can message or call you. To strongly reduce the vicious attacks that could be exploited by spyware and more, certain features have been strictly limited. What’s more, there might be more experiences that might no longer be available at all. The Lockdown mode is now available in iOS 16, macOS Ventura, and iPadOS 16.
What Happens When You Enable The Lockdown Mode?
A huge difference will be spotted from the previous phone’s function once you enable the lockdown Mode on your iOS device. Firstly, certain features will no longer be available to you Shared Photos. Your device will also alert you when the feature gives in. Another thing you will note is that you won’t be able to receive FaceTime calls from any contacts whom you have never communicated with before. In case you didn’t know, multiple zero-click attacks are known to manipulate weaknesses in iMessages or on Facetime. The Lockdown mode fights against those issues.
Next, you won’t be able to open attachments like files or documents just because they could potentially contain codes that are malicious and could compromise your device. Following this, the Lockdown Mode blocks all wired connections to your device. This makes it hard for anyone with physical access to your phone to simply download all its contents.
Consequently, you won’t be able to receive any Apple service invitations like notes and calendars from people whom you haven’t spoken to before. Also, you won’t be able to install new configuration profiles for joining school networks. And so on as devious actors can use that to control a person’s device. All these and more happen when the Lockdown Mode is enabled.
Apple Lockdown Mode Protections
As mentioned, the Apple Lockdown Mode is designed to strictly prohibit any form of cyber threat. Hence they limit the functionality of most apps, features, and more. Most of what the Lockdown Mode does is:
- When a device is locked, the wired connections it shares with many other devices are also blocked.
- The Configuration profiles cannot be installed once the Lockdown Mode is turned on
- Also, the device cannot enroll into the Mobile Device Management (MDM) once the Lockdown Mode is turned on
- Most of the message attachments other than images will be blocked in the Messages app.
- What’s more, the link preview feature will also be unavailable on the mobile device
- The incoming FaceTime calls from people you have never spoken to before will be blocked to prevent possible attacks through unknown FaceTime calls.
- The Shared albums and all new shared albums invitations will be blocked
- The Lockdown Mode prevents customers from being able to install Apple’s public betas
- It also prevents you from signing up for Mobile device management as a preventive measure.
- Furthermore, the mode will disable most web technologies like JavaScript and browsing features. The only exception is if the user wishes to exclude a site from the Lockdown Mode and plans to keep them enabled. The mode protection also applies to Safari and many other web browsers using the WebKit across their iPad, Mac or iPhone.
- With the Lockdown Mode on, if you want to connect your iPad or iPhone to another computer or more, the device first needs to be unlocked. The approval comes from you
With all these restrictions across mobiles, there are also regular features like plain text messages and phone calls that won’t be affected. Even the SOS emergency calls won’t be affected by the Lockdown Mode.
How Do I Enable the Lock down Mode on iPhone And iPad?
The Lockdown Mode is an optional security feature that you can choose to turn on and off with your authorization. If you want to enable the Lockdown Mode on your iPhone or iPad, here’s what to do:
- Open the Settings app
- Scroll down the menu till you see the Privacy & Security
- Click on that option
- Scroll down once more under ‘Security’
- Click on Lockdown Mode
- Ensure that you read the on-screen information displayed to understand it more
- Then you tap on Lockdown Mode
- Review the list of protections and if you are satisfied with everything, tap Turn on Lockdown Mode
Once all of that steps have been followed and completed. You have successfully enabled the Lockdown Mode to provide more security for your iOS device and more.
