Alex Hadfield Feb 4
Joseph Cox
New from 404 Media: the FBI has been unable to get into the iPhone of raided Washington Post journalist because the phone had Lockdown Mode enabled. Apple markets Lockdown Mode mostly to stop spyware like NSO. Here, a real world example of it stopping access too https://www.404media.co/fbi-couldnt-get-into-wapo-reporters-iphone-because-it-had-lockdown-mode-enabled/
FBI Couldn’t Get into WaPo Reporter’s iPhone Because It Had Lockdown Mode Enabled

Lockdown Mode is a sometimes overlooked feature of Apple devices that broadly make them harder to hack. A court record indicates the feature might be effective at stopping third parties unlocking someone's device. At least for now.

404 Media
Feb 4 at 2:07pmWeb
Show threadMy Head’s Exploding 🤯 💥Feb 4
@josephcox
🚨 ATTN: All Journalists and POC 🚨
Show thread🏳️‍⚧️PepperTheVixen🦯Feb 4
@josephcox This is very good! I shall keep lockdown mode enabled on my iphone
Show threadFrost, wolf of winter 🐺🎄Feb 4
@PepperTheVixen @josephcox I think that might be the thing you can trigger by hitting the power button 5 times? So keep that shortcut handy and you're set.
Show thread🏳️‍⚧️PepperTheVixen🦯Feb 4
@IceWolf @josephcox That's emergency mode. Lockdown mode is in the settings app. Apple describe it as an extreme measure for people who believe they are being targeted. I'm trans and live in the US. As far as I know, I'm not being targeted, but I wouldn't be surprised if I was on some list somewhere just for being queer. They have an article on how to turn it on on various apple devices, including iphone and mac. https://support.apple.com/en-us/105120
About Lockdown Mode - Apple Support

Lockdown Mode helps protect devices against extremely rare and highly sophisticated cyber attacks.

Apple Support
Show threadFrost, wolf of winter 🐺🎄Feb 4
@PepperTheVixen @josephcox Ohhh! Huh, neat.
Show threadFrost, wolf of winter 🐺🎄Feb 4

@PepperTheVixen iOS 16 or later... hah, we're on 15.

there's an update available but it's just 15.8.6

I guess our iPhone 7 is too old for that. Which is usually a good thing! (no Liquid▶️Ass)

Show threadCullen ThomasFeb 4

@josephcox “The iPhone was found powered on and charging, and its display noted that the phone was in ‘Lockdown’ mode.”

That's interesting. Lockdown mode doesn't normally indicate on the lock screen. They might mean that some action was initiated that lockdown mode blocked—when that happens, you get a notification that says "lockdown mode blocked xxxyyy." That notification might be the "indication" they mean.