Apple's new "Lockdown Mode" will be available for its Mac computers, iPads, and iPhones. It is made to combat targeted malware like NSO Group's Pegasus and hacking activities.
Even though only a small number of people experience these attacks, the danger is increasing. Pegasus was discovered to be a tool used by oppressive governments to spy on journalists, lawyers, politicians, and advocates for human rights.
Apple has promised to keep enhancing Lockdown Mode and will make it available for free later this year. The business has also increased its bug bounty and grant programs to support an additional investigation into this problem.
For many years, Apple has positioned its products-including the iPhone, iPad, and Mac-as the safest and most private ones available. It strengthened that effort on Wednesday by announcing a new function called Lockdown Mode that will be available this fall and is made to thwart targeted hacking attempts like the Pegasus malware, which oppressive governments allegedly used on human rights activists, and attorneys, politicians, and journalists.
Additionally, it announced a $10 million grant and a $2 million bug bounty to support more investigation into these dangers.
The tech giant claimed that Lockdown Mode is intended to give further security to its phones, including preventing incoming FaceTime calls from unauthorized numbers, attachments and link previews in messages, and potentially hackable web browsing technology.
Apple devices cannot be installed with new remote management software while they are in Lockdown Mode, and they won't allow accessory connections until the device is unlocked. This summer, developers will be able to test the new functionality with their applications, and in the fall, the general public will be able to download it for free.
While the vast majority of users will never be the victims of highly targeted cyberattacks, we will work tirelessly to protect the small number of users who are," Apple's head of security engineering and architecture, Ivan Krstić said. "Lockdown Mode is a groundbreaking capability that reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting users from even the rarest, most sophisticated attacks."
Along with the new Lockdown Mode, which Apple describes as an "extreme" step, the corporation also announced a $10 million donation to the Ford Foundation's Dignity and Justice Fund in support of human rights and the fight against social repression.
According to Apple representatives, the business tried to strike a balance between convenience and stringent security measures, and it also made a public commitment to enhancing the function.
Apps that show webpages will adhere to the same limitations as Apple's apps in the most recent version of Lockdown Mode, which is being distributed to developers in a forthcoming test software update. Users can preapprove specific websites to get around Lockdown Mode, though, if necessary. Before connecting to accessories, users of devices in Lockdown Mode must unlock them.
