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Apple Releases iOS 11.4.1, Blocks Passcode Cracking Tools Used By Police (theverge.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the cease-and-desist dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Verge: Apple today released iOS 11.4.1, and while most of us are already looking ahead to all the new stuff coming in iOS 12, this small update contains an important new security feature: USB Restricted Mode. Apple has added protections against the USB devices being used by law enforcement and private companies that connect over Lightning to crack an iPhone's passcode and evade Apple's usual encryption safeguards.

If you go to Settings and check under Face ID (or Touch ID) & Passcode, you'll see a new toggle for USB Accessories. By default, the switch is off. This means that once your iPhone or iPad has been locked for over an hour straight, iOS will no longer allow USB accessories to connect to the device -- shutting out cracking tools like GrayKey as a result. If you've got accessories that you want to continue working after your iPhone has been sitting locked for awhile, you can toggle the option on to remove the hour limit. Apple's wording is a bit confusing. You should leave the toggle disabled if you want your iPhone to be most secure.

7 of 129 comments (clear)

  1. Serious question: by CaptainDork · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Why is this story always about iPhone?

    Are Android and other mobile OS not an encryption concern for LEO?

    Thanks.

    --
    It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
    1. Re:Serious question: by GrandCow · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Correct, Android phones are (basically) an open book. There is some encryption but nothing near the level of protection of an iPhone. Yes, your friend isn't going to pick up your phone off the table and get past your passcode, but if someone with resources wants in to an Android phone, they're getting in fairly easily.

      --
      "Well kids, you tried your best, and you failed. The lesson is, never try." -Homer Simpson
  2. Can one turn on the lock immediately? by BitterOak · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What if you will be out driving and don't want the police to have access to your phone, but don't want to wait one hour after using it before leaving the house? Is there a way to bypass the one-hour wait feature and tell the phone to immediately disable the USB when you next lock the phone? People should be able to activate maximum device security whenever they please.

    --
    If I can be modded down for being a troll, can I be modded up for being an orc, or a balrog?
  3. Excellent by gweihir · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Law enforcement of all colors has amply demonstrated that they do not understand device security and why it is important. Hence this is good news.

    Incidentally, if you let the police decide what freedoms and protection against the state people have, you end up with a police-state. These people have entirely the wrong mindset. When you remember that the primary purpose of the police is protecting the rich and powerful and fighting (slave) upraisings, this becomes much more obvious. All that "to serve and protect" crap is basically propaganda.

    --
    Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
  4. Battery Drain? by Kozar_The_Malignant · · Score: 3, Interesting

    My concern about 11.4.1 is does it fix the horrible battery drain of 11.4? I'll update tonight, because i have nothing to lose.

    --
    Some mornings it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints to get out of bed.
  5. Let's see them... by NewtonsLaw · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Let's see them try to break into my voice/SMS-only 2G bar-phone with their fancy gear! Bahahah!

    But seriously, this might mean that lawmakers will be more predisposed to drop the need for a search warrant in respect to searching someone's phone. It would be much easier to lobby that the need for a warrant could now significantly hamper investigations because of the short window of opportunity.

    So don't look too smug, Apple may have shot you all in the foot.

  6. Re:How is this going to work? by TheFakeTimCook · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I typically plug the charger into my iPhone at night for use the next day. This new feature would seem to indicate that the port will be disconnected after one hour. The question that comes to mind is how does one get a full charged iPhone. One would hope that the software is able to determine if an "external device" is plugged in or a charger.

    It specifically allows charging even when the USB data path is disabled.