OP 11 November, 2024 - 05:50 PM
As reported by 404Media (https://www.404media.co/apple-quietly-in...-out-cops/):
Apple has quietly added a new security feature to iOS 18.1 called the "Inactivity Reboot Timer," which reboots the device if it hasn't been unlocked for a certain amount of time. The feature puts the phone in a Before First Unlock (BFU) state, making it much harder for law enforcement to access data. Security experts say the feature improves the overall security of the iPhone, although it has raised concerns among law enforcement, especially in the United States.
How the new feature works
The Inactivity Reboot feature kicks in on iOS 18 and above after a few days of inactivity, switching the device from AFU (After First Unlock) to BFU, where it's much harder to hack. AFU is a mode where the device has been unlocked at least once by the user and is easier to crack with forensic tools. BFU, on the other hand, is activated immediately after the device is rebooted and makes it virtually impenetrable to most hackers.
What do the experts say?
Christopher Vance of Magnet Forensics, a well-known manufacturer of phone unlocking tools, confirmed that the new feature does not depend on the network or the device being charged, and is activated only by a timer when there is no activity. Magnet Forensics, which recently acquired the developer of GrayKey for opening phones, admitted that they are studying this innovation, but refrained from commenting.
Matthew Green, a cryptographer and professor at Johns Hopkins University, considers this feature "a huge step forward in security", as it will protect users from having their phone stolen and then hacked by intruders.
What does this mean for the police?
According to Vance, the innovation requires immediate data collection from devices that have been unlocked at least once before they reboot into BFU state. Law enforcement agencies working with the seized iPhones have noticed that the phones have started to mysteriously reboot, which makes their work much more difficult.
Surely everyone understands that this is not about the security of user data? In this way, Apple has made it difficult for law enforcement agencies to obtain data without official requests to the company, and, as we know, such requests are often approved
Apple has quietly added a new security feature to iOS 18.1 called the "Inactivity Reboot Timer," which reboots the device if it hasn't been unlocked for a certain amount of time. The feature puts the phone in a Before First Unlock (BFU) state, making it much harder for law enforcement to access data. Security experts say the feature improves the overall security of the iPhone, although it has raised concerns among law enforcement, especially in the United States.
How the new feature works
The Inactivity Reboot feature kicks in on iOS 18 and above after a few days of inactivity, switching the device from AFU (After First Unlock) to BFU, where it's much harder to hack. AFU is a mode where the device has been unlocked at least once by the user and is easier to crack with forensic tools. BFU, on the other hand, is activated immediately after the device is rebooted and makes it virtually impenetrable to most hackers.
What do the experts say?
Christopher Vance of Magnet Forensics, a well-known manufacturer of phone unlocking tools, confirmed that the new feature does not depend on the network or the device being charged, and is activated only by a timer when there is no activity. Magnet Forensics, which recently acquired the developer of GrayKey for opening phones, admitted that they are studying this innovation, but refrained from commenting.
Matthew Green, a cryptographer and professor at Johns Hopkins University, considers this feature "a huge step forward in security", as it will protect users from having their phone stolen and then hacked by intruders.
What does this mean for the police?
According to Vance, the innovation requires immediate data collection from devices that have been unlocked at least once before they reboot into BFU state. Law enforcement agencies working with the seized iPhones have noticed that the phones have started to mysteriously reboot, which makes their work much more difficult.
Surely everyone understands that this is not about the security of user data? In this way, Apple has made it difficult for law enforcement agencies to obtain data without official requests to the company, and, as we know, such requests are often approved
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