Apple confirms iPhone's new USB Restricted Mode that will protect against police cracking...

[midian182]

What just happened? It appears that the battle between law enforcement and Apple is about to be reignited. The Cupertino company has confirmed that iOS 11.4.1 and iOS 12 will come with a feature called USB Restricted Mode, which disables the data connection over the Lightning port when the handset hasn’t been unlocked for an hour.

When it arrives, Restricted Mode will be turned on by default. While activated, charging will be the only function of an iPhone’s Lightning port one hour after the device is locked.

The feature means that police and other law enforcement officials will only have a short amount of time to deploy iPhone cracking devices from security firms such as GrayShift, Cellebrite, and others. GrayShift’s GrayKey is a particularly popular tool, and is being used in at least five states and by five federal agencies.

GrayKey uses the iPhone’s Lightning port to access the device and enables more attempts to crack a password than is normally allowed. Depending on the length of the password, this can take anywhere from two hours to three days.

Apple told Reuters that it was “aiming to protect all customers, especially in countries where phones are readily obtained by police or by criminals with extensive resources, and to head off further spread of the attack technique.”

USB Restricted Mode has already appeared in developer betas for both iOS 11.4.1 and iOS 12. The patch is now set to arrive in a final iOS release.

A New York Times reports shows that police aren’t happy about Apple’s plan, but the company insists the feature is for the benefit of consumers and not a way to protect criminals.

“We’re constantly strengthening the security protections in every Apple product to help customers defend against hackers, identity thieves, and intrusions into their personal data,” an Apple representative said in a statement. “We have the greatest respect for law enforcement, and we don’t design our security improvements to frustrate their efforts to do their jobs.”

Expect the issue to raise another 'security versus privacy' debate like that which followed the San Bernardino iPhone saga. Back in 2016, Apple refused to help the FBI unlock the iPhone 5c owned by Syed Rizwan Farook, one of the San Bernardino shooters. The feds eventually turned to a third party, believed to be Cellebrite, for help.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/75084-apple-confirms-usb-restricted-mode-protect-against-police.html

 

[davislane1]

"A New York Times reports shows that police aren’t happy about Apple’s plan"

Boo hoo.

 

[trparky]

Law enforcement aren't happy about it

So they'll actually have to do some real investigative work instead of just simply invading our privacy. I call that a win in my book.

 

[IAMTHESTIG]

"Apple refused to help the FBI unlock the iPhone 5c owned by Syed Rizwan Farook, one of the San Bernardino shooters. The feds eventually turned to a third party, believed to be Cellebrite, for help."

I believe Apple condoned the terrorist attack for political reasons. It seems some people in the left wing movement are ok with the loss of life as long as it satisfies their political efforts.

 

[DelJo63]

I believe Apple condoned the terrorist attack for political reasons. It seems some people in the left wing movement are ok with the loss of life as long as it satisfies their political efforts.

You got to be kidding! ... I'll just leave it at that.

 

[learninmypc]

There should be a way LE can obtain that info legally via apple. jmo.

 

[Panda218]

I believe Apple condoned the terrorist attack for political reasons. It seems some people in the left wing movement are ok with the loss of life as long as it satisfies their political efforts.

You got to be kidding! ... I'll just leave it at that.

yeah I was going to say something, but I'd rather not engage with crazies.

 

[Danny101]

It'll come to a point where probable cause will be enough for charges unless the suspects grants access, along with the information they are searching for. It may be this...emails, but no pictures or saved files; files, but no pictures or emails; emails,but no pictures or files, depending upon how the warrant is parsed.

 

[IAMTHESTIG]

You got to be kidding! ... I'll just leave it at that.

Hah! I knew that would tickle somebody's pickle... I was mostly kidding but you can't deny that a lot of large businesses have no problem making their political opinion known, and their products and services often reflect their political angle. For instance changing the gun emoji from a firearm to a water squirt gun. Whether or not you agree with this is beside the point, but these type of things can easily be viewed as a political statement.

 

[Trillionsin]

You got to be kidding! ... I'll just leave it at that.

Hah! I knew that would tickle somebody's pickle... I was mostly kidding but you can't deny that a lot of large businesses have no problem making their political opinion known, and their products and services often reflect their political angle. For instance changing the gun emoji from a firearm to a water squirt gun. Whether or not you agree with this is beside the point, but these type of things can easily be viewed as a political statement.

...but still, what?

 

[treetops]

You got to be kidding! ... I'll just leave it at that.

Hah! I knew that would tickle somebody's pickle... I was mostly kidding but you can't deny that a lot of large businesses have no problem making their political opinion known, and their products and services often reflect their political angle. For instance changing the gun emoji from a firearm to a water squirt gun. Whether or not you agree with this is beside the point, but these type of things can easily be viewed as a political statement.

This is the first time I wanted a thumbs down button on Techspot, your political obsession is sad.

 

[ghostf1re]

So let me get this straight, after an hour of being plugged in, if I haven't interacted with my phone, all it can do is draw power? What about long drives with a playlist on? Does this mean I'd have to interact with my phone each hour at the maximum before my phone stops playing music? This is a feature that would be turned off immediately.

 

[MaikuTech]

So let me get this straight, after an hour of being plugged in, if I haven't interacted with my phone, all it can do is draw power? What about long drives with a playlist on? Does this mean I'd have to interact with my phone each hour at the maximum before my phone stops playing music? This is a feature that would be turned off immediately.

Pretty much so, even my new samsung galaxy J3 wouldn't do that, apple is just putting itself in unnecessary legal problems when stuff goes wrong.
This time they can't blame the police, FBI, or any government officials needing to pull out crucial information in a crisis.

 

[Shadowboxer]

Im glad that Apple at least will stand up for users privacy. I don’t think many other tech companies would.

 

[IAMTHESTIG]

This is the first time I wanted a thumbs down button on Techspot, your political obsession is sad.

It is sad... but you can't deny it fits in well with Mr. Thubron's articles and the large amount of discussion it creates.