For most of us, following basic privacy and security tips should be enough to keep ourselves and our data safe online. But if you think you’re the target of a state-sponsored cyberattack using industrial-grade spyware tools like Pegasus, the usual rules of staying safe may not be enough.
If you’re a journalist, politician or activist worried about your phone being the target of a state-sponsored cyber attack, Apple has released a security feature that everyone can use to protect their iPhone from such attacks .
Apple‘s new security tool, called Lockdown Mode, is built into iOS 16 and is designed to combat attacks from malware and spyware like Pegasus. Here’s what you need to know if you want to know how to enable lock mode on your iPhone.
What does Lockdown Mode do?
According to Apple, Lockdown Mode provides an “extreme, optional level of security for a very small number of users who, because of who they are or what they do, may be the individual targets of some of the most sophisticated digital threats.”
Essentially, Lockdown Mode increases security features on iOS by restricting certain features that may be vulnerable:
1. With the exception of images, most email attachments are blocked, and features like link previews are disabled.
2. Web technologies such as just-in-time JavaScript compilation are disabled unless you exclude it from lockdown mode.
3. If you have never called the person before, incoming invitations and service requests, such as FaceTime calls, are blocked.
4. All shared albums in Photos will be deleted and any new invitations to shared albums will be blocked.
5. Any wired connection between your iPhone and computer or accessories will be blocked.
6. Unable to install profiles, such as those from Apple’s public beta.
7. Your device cannot be registered for mobile device management.
Which devices support Lockdown Mode?
Currently, you can use Lockdown Mode on any Apple device running iOS 16, iPadOS 16, or MacOS Ventura. As of now, iOS 16 is only available as a developer beta, but it is expected to be available as a public beta soon.
How to Enable Lockdown Mode on iOS 16
As long as you’re running iOS 16, you can easily turn on lock mode in seconds. All you need to do is go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Lockdown Mode, read through the description, click Turn on Lockdown Mode and then Turn On & Restart.
Your iPhone will restart immediately, after which lock mode will be enabled. If you go into Safari, you should see a Lockdown Enabled or Lockdown Ready banner at the top of the page, indicating that Lockdown Mode is actually on and protecting your iPhone.
Configure Lockdown Mode Settings
While Lockdown Mode offers extensive security, you can tweak it to better suit your needs.
As mentioned above, websites in Safari are severely restricted in Lockdown Mode, but you can bypass these restrictions by excluding a website. To do this, launch Safari, go to the website you want to exclude, click AA > Website Settings, turn off Lockdown Mode, and click Turn Off . The banner at the top of the site should now read Lockdown Off.
To see all excluded sites, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Lockdown Mode, then click Configure Web Browsing at the bottom of the page.
How to Disable Lockdown Mode
Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Lockdown Mode, tap Turn off Lockdown Mode, and then tap Turn Off and Restart. When your iPhone restarts, lock mode will be disabled and you will be able to use your iPhone as usual again.
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