A little knowledge is a dangerous thing—and so it is with the latest Apple security scare, pushing users to change the settings on their iPhones as attacks escalate. With one new cyber report warning “the mobile threat landscape” is growing “at an alarming rate as cybercrime groups target mobile devices in the early stages of their attacks,” concern is understandable. But there’s one change you should not make to your phone until you understand the risks—it is more complicated than it seems.
The “hidden” (1,2) setting on your iPhone is Lockdown Mode. And with attacks on the rise, including surprising headlines suggesting iPhones may be even more at risk than Androids, it’s not surprising that users might skim these mainstream newspaper articles and make the change. But don’t.
Lockdown Mode is almost certainly not for you, and the downside risks outweigh the benefits. Apple warns that this is “an extreme protection that’s designed for the very few individuals who, because of who they are or what they do, may be personally targeted by some of the most sophisticated digital threats. Most people will never be targeted by attacks of this nature.”
This mode and Google’s Advanced Protection equivalent have been designed for politicians, dissidents, journalists, lawyers engaged in sensitive areas of law. This is the niche user group targeted by highly sophisticated spyware attacks, users that might receive one of Apple’s infamous alerts, U.S. campaign staffers allegedly compromised in the recent elections, others of that ilk.
But again, it’s understandable that users would want to adopt the “best” security protection available to ensure all their data remains safe and secure. And with mainstream press headlines such as “iPhone fans are just now finding little-known setting hidden in Apple’s iOS that ensures data security,” “iPhone has secret ‘extreme’ mode that Apple says is so powerful ‘most people’ never need it – it takes seconds to find,” “what is Lockdown mode on iPhone and how it may keep you safe from ‘mercenary spyware’ attacks,” and even “iPhone Lockdown Mode: how to use the security feature (and why you should),” it’s understandable that temptation will kick in. It’s a natural instinct. But if you enable Lockdown Mode, your iPhone will not work as you expect.
Apple warns that “when Lockdown Mode is enabled, your device won’t function like it usually would. To reduce the attack surface that could potentially be exploited by highly targeted mercenary spyware, certain apps, websites and features will be strictly limited for security, and some experiences may not be available at all.” Message attachments will be removed, web pages will not display as normal, some calls will be blocked, some photo albums will be unavailable, some wireless connections will be disabled, and some accessories will stop working. Will you be safer—yes. But unless you’re in one of those highly sensitive roles or have reason to fear nation-state level attacks, you don’t need this.
What you do need to do is follow the basic rules—ensure your phone is running the latest version of iOS and install new updates as soon as Apple makes them available. Be wary of the apps you install—even though they’re coming from Apple’s App Store, and don’t grant permissions that seem out of kilter with the core functionality of the app. Be wary of public WiFi networks—ensure your web traffic is encrypted and don’t email or text sensitive information over such networks. Default to fully encrypted texts and calls wherever you can. Use a bluechip VPN when travelling. Enable stolen device protection and limit location tracking. Ensure you have a strong PIN and FaceID enabled.
It’s also worth running Apple’s Safety Check (available in Security & Privacy settings). This will show you who you’re sharing data with, the apps accessing your information, devices linked to your account and which of those devices can access your phone.
These basic hygiene factors will keep almost all users safe, without resorting to “extreme” measures. Lockdown Mode, Apple says, “is designed for the very small number of individual users who may be targeted by extreme cyber attacks.” It’s not something to use unless you know you’re at risk.
