Apple cares about the privacy and security of its users. It takes this matter very seriously. That is why it provides us all the time with many protection features that prevent intruders, thieves and even agencies. Law enforcement From accessing user data on IPhoneThe latest feature to enhance privacy and security is a passcode that Apple recently launched, which prevents anyone from accessing what is inside your iPhone, even if they were able to unlock the device previously.
Secret code to restart iPhone
With the iOS 18.1 update, Apple has introduced a secret feature to its users known as “Inactivity Reboot” or “Reboot in Inactivity” which works in certain situations. Including, if the screen has not been unlocked for some time or the device has not been connected to the cellular network for a whole day. Once this code is activated, the iPhone will automatically restart. After that, the device becomes more secure and it is almost impossible for a hacker to unlock your phone again.
Data encryption mechanism in iOS
Before we get into the secret code, let’s first understand how data encryption works on the iPhone. Your iPhone can be said to be in one of two states, either before first unlock “BFU” or after first unlock “AFU”.
Everything inside the iPhone remains securely encrypted until the moment the user enters the screen lock passcode and unlocks the device for the first time, at which point the iPhone is in a “Before First Unlock” (BFU) state.
When the passcode is entered and the device is unlocked, the operating system starts generating a set of keys required to decrypt files on the iPhone. This way, everything inside your device is fully encrypted and cannot be accessed until you enter the passcode.
When the device is restarted and the correct passcode is entered, iOS goes from BFU to AFU (After First Unlock) state, which decrypts the data on the device and activates features like Touch ID or Face ID. That’s why individuals who are being questioned by law enforcement agencies are advised to restart their devices and then keep them locked. The system temporarily turns off biometric authentication and keeps the data encrypted, making it nearly impossible to try to unlock the iPhone or even extract files inside it.
The story of discovering the code!
A 404 Media report claims that forensic officers and experts have discovered that iPhones that have been stored for forensic examination due to their connection to certain cases are somehow rebooting themselves, returning the devices to a state that makes them very difficult to unlock. The report notes that iPhones that are rebooted in a BFU state send wireless signals to other nearby iPhones that are in an AFU state, telling them to automatically reboot themselves. But the strangest thing in the report is that one of the iPhones was inside Faraday cage (A box used to isolate its interior from any electrical or electromagnetic influences) and therefore it was supposed to be unaffected by Apple's new code. But the exact opposite happened. The device automatically rebooted.
Finally, Apple has not officially spoken about the matter. However, we must take into account the possibilities that may lead to the device restarting for no reason. It can be said that there are two possibilities and no third. The first is a glitch, as some devices running iOS 18 suffered from a bug that caused them to restart randomly throughout the day. The problem was fixed in the iOS 18.1 update. As for the second possibility, Apple introduced a hidden feature in the new update to secure the privacy of its users.
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