Lockdown Mode is good for you

Lockdown Mode is Apple’s toughest security protection system and it has never been successfully attacked, the company told TechCrunch.

No successful mercenary spyware attacks

“We are not aware of any successful mercenary spyware attacks against a Lockdown Mode-enabled Apple device,” Apple spokesperson Sarah O’Rourke said.

That’s a big deal as the mode exists as a line of defence against the dodgy, probably nation-state driven, surveillance-as-a-service mercenaries that have done so much to enshittify the online world. 

The Apple statement tells us that Lockdown Mode works and can be used as a line of defence against these sorts of attacks. While it is true that using the system means you lose some key components that may matter to the smartphone experience, it’s still the best way at-risk customers can protect themselves.

It’s also very successful, one recently disclosed attack literally disables itself if it identifies it is on a device running the mode. Even the FBI can’t break in.

“Lockdown Mode is an optional, extreme protection that’s designed for the very few individuals who, because of who they are or what they do, might be personally targeted by some of the most sophisticated digital threats,” Apple says. 

But the big take away if you happen to be a high value target that may be target to such attack is to enable Lockdown Mode immediately.

What Lockdown Mode gives you

This is what you lose when you do:

• Most message attachment types other than images are blocked. 
• Link previews, are disabled.
• Biometric authorization no longer works.
• Certain complex web technologies, such as just-in-time (JIT) JavaScript compilation, are disabled.
• Incoming invitations and service requests, including FaceTime calls, are blocked if the user has not previously contacted the other party.
• Wired connections with a computer or accessory are blocked.
• Configuration profiles cannot be installed.
• The device cannot enrol in mobile device management (MDM) systems.

Those limitations seem pretty small in the spooky surveillance era we appear to have found ourselves in. A reality I personally think sucks. Here’s how to switch the mode on.

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