Most of its customers won’t use Apple’s latest security feature, but those who need lock mode might find it a literal life saver.
The functionality, which includes iOS / iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura, drastically reduces the attack surface of an iDevice by disabling many of its features. It’s designed to protect the small number of Apple users who, “for who they are or why they do, may be personally targeted by some of the most sophisticated digital threats, such as those of the NSO group and other private companies that develop sponsorships. by the state. mercenary spyware, “Apple said in a statement.
Blocking, therefore, effectively reduces the number of potential vulnerabilities that spyware could exploit to compromise a device, cutting off possible routes to the surveillance target kit.
It is no coincidence that Apple calls its name the Israeli spyware maker NSO. The US mega-corporation sued the team in October 2021 to infect iPhones with its malicious software Pegasus that dodges virtually every element of the device and the data it contains. Pegasus is used by several nation-states to spy on dissidents, journalists and other perceived troublemakers.
Apple hopes the lock mode will be a way for those at risk of being attacked by Pegasus and similar malware to protect themselves, which it will do by:
- Block all attachment types (except images) and disable link previews in Messages
- Disable some web technologies, such as compiling JavaScript just in time, unless a site is added to a block mode permission list
- Block incoming FaceTime calls, invitations, and service requests from strangers, unless the device owner has previously contacted them
- Wired connections to computers or peripherals are not permitted when the device is locked
- Blocking the installation of configuration profiles and mobile device management log
Apple says it will eventually add additional protections to the lock mode. The feature is expected to be released this fall with major updates to the operating system and it’s unclear if the lock mode is available in current beta versions of Apple’s operating systems. We have contacted you for more information and will update this story when we have a response.
Pegasus: A life-threatening cyberattack
The threat of spyware from companies like NSO is not a slight issue. This is how, for example, the Saudi government was able to locate and assassinate Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.
Ivan Krstić, head of engineering and security architecture at Apple, said the company knows that the types of attacks Khashoggi and other public figures face are very rare, but that doesn’t mean they don’t they have to fight.
Apple “continues to design defenses specifically for these users, as well as supporting researchers and organizations around the world who are doing critical work to expose the mercenary companies that create these digital attacks,” Krstić explains.
Along with the announcement of lock mode, comes a tempting target for bug hunters: up to $ 2 million for qualified finds in lock mode.
Apple also offered an upgrade of its $ 10 million donation to the Ford Foundation’s Dignity and Justice Fund, first mentioned when it filed its lawsuit against NSO. The company says the DJF plans to issue the first grants in late 2022 and early 2023 with funding focused on approaches to expose mercenary spyware and better protect targets. Krstić serves as the fund’s technical advisor. ®