Lockdown Mode restricts your iPhone, iPad, or Mac in order to increase security. But who is it for, how does it function, how do you enable it, and what are the drawbacks?
Note: At the time of writing in September 2022, this functionality is accessible on the iPhone with iOS 16, but not on the iPad until iPadOS 16.1 is released later that autumn. You won’t be able to use Lockdown Mode on your iPad until it comes. Furthermore, macOS Ventura is not yet available as of mid-September 2022, but it is scheduled to be released in October 2022.
Related: List of Customizable Features on Apple iOS 16 Lockscreen
Apple described Lockdown Mode as “specific extra security for users who may be at danger of highly focused cyberattacks from private organizations building state-sponsored mercenary malware,” admitting that the mode is intended to aid a “relatively limited percentage of users.”
This high degree of security is intended to help users who may be followed by governments or private corporations using technologies such as the NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware. Apple is suing NSO Group in the interests of “reducing the exploitation of state-sponsored malware.”
Lockdown Mode, if engaged, restricts several normal capabilities in an attempt to reduce ports of entry for possible malware. This includes the following:
Most mail attachment types are blocked (excluding images).
Message link previews are disabled.
Unless you exclude a trustworthy website, disable “just-in-time” (JIT) JavaScript components.
Incoming invites, service requests, and FaceTime calls from unknown contacts are blocked (unless you have previously initiated contact).
Limiting connected connections to computers and peripherals.
Delete Shared Albums from Photos
Keeping a device from enrolling in mobile device management (MDM), which is utilized by many business devices.
Keeping a device from installing configuration profiles, such as those used to test beta versions of iOS.
Lockdown Mode is available on all iPhones and iPads running iOS 16 and iPadOS 16, as well as all Mac models running macOS Ventura. That includes the iPhone 8, as well as the second-generation iPhone SE or newer, the fifth-generation iPad and iPad mini, the third-generation iPad Air, and all iPad Pro models.
Before you can utilize Lockdown Mode, you must first upgrade your iPhone, iPad, or Mac with the Software Update function. If you have an older device that isn’t compatible with the upgrade, you may still receive security updates to fix known vulnerabilities, but you won’t have access to this newer, more severe degree of protection.
Regardless of the device, enabling Lockdown Mode is simple. On an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Privacy & Security, then scroll down to the bottom of the screen and press the “Lockdown Mode” button, followed by the “Turn on Lockdown Mode” button.
A pop-up box will now appear informing you of the limitations you are going to enable. To proceed, press the “Turn on Lockdown Mode” button, then “Turn On & Restart” to confirm your choice.
The procedure is nearly same on a Mac. Navigate to System Settings > Privacy & Security, then select “Lockdown Mode” and then “Turn On” before being prompted to restart your Mac.
After restarting your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, Lockdown Mode will be activated. You may disable it again by going to the “Privacy & Security” menu and changing your mind.
Lockdown Mode is a security feature that aims to keep your device safe from zero-day attacks. Because of its restricted nature, the use of Lockdown Mode leaves a fingerprint that might reveal individuals who utilize it.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) revealed that its online fingerprinting tool Cover Your Tracks could discover whether an iPhone owner was using Lockdown Mode due to Safari browser limitations.
Lockdown Mode, according to the EFF, reduces possible ports of entry that might become targets for spyware and other malware creators. One of these is the ability to load custom fonts, which may be used to attack the rendering engine of a web browser. The EFF pointed out that it is simple to use JavaScript to determine whether or not a typeface is restricted.
The EFF was able to determine if an iPhone owner is using Lockdown Mode by combining the browser’s user agent and other device information left behind when a web page is accessed. The danger here is that it may paint a bullseye on an individual’s back, attracting attention to the way Lockdown Mode seeks to safeguard their device rather than the information left behind.
One disadvantage of adopting Lockdown Mode is that it compromises a user’s privacy in order to improve overall security. According to the EFF, “Apple’s provision of this strong new safeguard is a positive development for people who need it the most,” but “users should also be cognizant of the information they are exposing to the web” if they choose to enable it.
If you’re wondering about online privacy and how trackers perceive your browser, use the Cover Your Tracks tool to test it.
Lockdown Mode Is Unnecessary for Most
The good news is that the great majority of individuals will not be affected by Lockdown Mode. Apple claims that “relatively few” individuals are vulnerable to the types of assaults that this mode is meant to avoid, and that most users may continue to use their iPhone, iPad, and Mac as usual.
Forget about Lockdown Mode for the time being and instead check out the finest iOS 16 features you should try right away.
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