Apple products that use lock mode have never been hacked, company confirms

iPhone security has been in the news this month as Apple patches known exploits. As fianceThe company has alerted customers using iPhones with old software to update this week. Meanwhile, Apple officially claims that its lock mode has proven effective against hacking attempts so far.

iPhones in locked mode have never been hacked

In 2022, Apple inserted Lockdown Mode on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Apple calls Lockdown Mode a way to protect against “extremely rare and highly sophisticated cyberattacks.”

Lockdown mode is optional extreme protection designed for the few people who, because of who they are or what they do, could be personally targeted by some of the most sophisticated digital threats. Most people are never targeted by attacks of this nature.

When lock mode is enabled, your device will not work as it normally does. To reduce the attack surface that could potentially be exploited by highly targeted mercenary spyware, certain applications, websites and features are strictly limited for security reasons and some experiences may not be available at all.

You can see all the ways Lock Mode changes how your iPhone, iPad, and Mac work here. Three of the most drastic changes include these:

• Messages: Most types of message attachments are blocked, except for certain images, videos, and audio. Some features, such as links and link previews, are not available.
• Web browsing: Certain complex web technologies are blocked, which may cause some websites to load more slowly or not function properly. Additionally, web fonts may not display and images may be replaced with a missing image icon.
• Wireless Connectivity: Your device will not automatically join unsecured Wi-Fi networks and will disconnect from an unsecured Wi-Fi network when you activate lock mode. 2G and 3G cellular support is disabled for iPhone and iPad.

Lockdown mode is a radical change in how the system works, but it is also an effective tool for users who may be at higher risk of being attacked by hackers with spyware.

Apple says TechCrunch That to date, there has been no known case of hacking of a device with lock mode:

“We are not aware of any successful mercenary spyware attacks against an Apple device with lock mode enabled,” Apple spokesperson Sarah O’Rourke told TechCrunch on Friday.

Meanwhile, as fianceApple is alerting iPhone users with outdated versions of iOS that critical security updates are available. Devices that are unable to update to the latest software update for some reason can use lockdown mode as a protective measure.