Recent court documents revealed that FBI technical specialists were unable to hack into a journalist's iPhone because it was in "Lockdown Mode".
Last month, the FBI raided the home of a Washington Post journalist. Hannah NatansonAuthorities confiscated a number of devices, including an iPhone 13 and two MacBook Pros.
While agents were able to access one of the Macs using the journalist's fingerprint (with a search warrant), they were completely unsuccessful with the iPhone. The FBI report stated:
“The iPhone was found powered on and charging, and the screen showed that the phone was in ‘shutdown mode’. Because of this, the computer analysis response team was unable to extract any data from the device.”
Lockdown Mode is an optional security feature designed by Apple to provide maximum protection against sophisticated cyber threats. When enabled on your Apple devices, it significantly reduces the chances of being targeted by attacks by restricting certain features and limiting the range of network connections that could be exploited as vulnerabilities. In this article, we'll explore how to enable and use this feature on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Warning
The “Extreme Security” mode targets a specific group of users who may be vulnerable to coordinated cyberattacks backed by nation-states or sophisticated actors, such as journalists, human rights activists, and government employees. However, Apple makes this option available to any user who wants access to what the company calls an “extreme” level of security.
If you are not in this category, don't bother activating the maximum protection feature, because it comes at a price, which is your comfort and quick access to your information, and some features will be locked for you.
What does Maximum Protection mode do?
When this mode is activated, the system imposes strict restrictions on the functions of applications and websites, and some of the most prominent of these protections are:
◉ For messages, most types of attachments other than images are blocked, and features such as link previews are disabled.
◉ Incoming FaceTime calls from people you haven't contacted before are blocked. Invitations to other Apple services from strangers are also blocked.
◉ Some complex web technologies, such as Just-in-Time (JIT) JavaScript compilation, are disabled unless the user excludes a trusted site. This restriction applies to Safari and all browsers using the WebKit engine on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. To put it simply:
Just-in-Time (JIT) technology acts as an accelerator, converting website code into a language the processor can instantly understand, resulting in incredibly fast browsing. Because this process is complex, hackers often exploit it as a vulnerability to inject malware into the device's memory. Therefore, when "Extreme Security Mode" is enabled, Apple disables this feature to completely close this door to sophisticated attacks. This may make some resource-intensive websites slightly slower to respond, but it ensures superior security for your device.
◉ Shared albums are removed from the Photos app, and new shared album invitations are blocked.
◉ When the device is locked, any wired connections with other devices or accessories are blocked.
◉ Configuration profiles cannot be installed, and the device cannot be registered in the MDM mobile device management system while the pattern is activated.
Mobile Device Management (MDM) is a technology used by companies and organizations to remotely control and manage employee devices, such as installing apps or wiping data. Because this system grants broad device control privileges, hackers might try to exploit it as a Trojan horse to access your data. Therefore, Maximum Security Mode blocks the iPhone from being registered with any new management system, preventing anyone from remotely imposing restrictions or installing monitoring software on your device as long as the mode is active.
How to activate maximum security mode on iPhone and iPad
The mode is disabled by default. To activate it, follow these steps:
◉ Open the Settings app, then go to the Privacy & Security section.
◉ Scroll down until you reach the maximum protection mode, Lockdown Mode.
◉ Press Turn On Lockdown Mode.
◉ Review the information regarding the restrictions, then press Turn On & Restart.
Once the device is restarted, the mode will be active. You can confirm this by returning to the same path in the settings, where the status will be “On”.
How to activate Maximum Security mode on a Mac
◉ Open System Settings, then click on Privacy & Security from the sidebar.
◉ Within the “Security” section below, click on Maximum Protection Lockdown Mode.
◉ Click the button to turn on maximum protection mode.
◉ Review the protections list and then click on Turn On & Restart.
◉ The Mac will restart, and the mode will work as soon as the system starts.
How to turn off Maximum Protection mode
Whether you're using an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you can return to normal using the following steps:
◉ Go to Settings or System Settings on your Mac, then Privacy & Security, then Maximum Security Mode.
◉ Turn off the pattern switch.
◉ Confirm your desire to shut down, and the device will restart to exit protection mode.
Customize website and app exceptions
While the mode is enabled, you might notice some websites or app features malfunctioning. Apple allows for exceptions to ensure continued usability:
◉ In Safari, if a website crashes, you can choose to “exclude website” from the browser settings to allow it to operate normally while keeping the pattern active for the rest of the websites.
◉ For third-party applications, you can manage web browsing-based applications through Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Maximum Security Mode, then Configure Web Browsing, and disable restrictions for specific applications individually.
It is worth noting that Apple has extended this mode to include the Apple Watch as well; once Maximum Security mode is activated on the iPhone linked to the watch, protection is automatically activated on the watch to ensure comprehensive security coverage for all your personal devices.
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