this post was submitted on 09 Nov 2024
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Apple Quietly Introduced iPhone Reboot Code Which is Locking Out Cops (www.404media.co)
submitted 10 months ago by Stopthatgirl7@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
223 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Apple quietly introduced code into iOS 18.1 which reboots the device if it has not been unlocked for a period of time, reverting it to a state which improves the security of iPhones overall and is making it harder for police to break into the devices, according to multiple iPhone security experts. 

On Thursday, 404 Media reported that law enforcement officials were freaking out that iPhones which had been stored for examination were mysteriously rebooting themselves. At the time the cause was unclear, with the officials only able to speculate why they were being locked out of the devices. Now a day later, the potential reason why is coming into view.

“Apple indeed added a feature called ‘inactivity reboot’ in iOS 18.1.,” Dr.-Ing. Jiska Classen, a research group leader at the Hasso Plattner Institute, tweeted after 404 Media published on Thursday along with screenshots that they presented as the relevant pieces of code.

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[–] tupalos@lemmy.world 13 points 10 months ago (28 children)

Why does rebooting it improve the safety or security of the phone?

[–] nicerdicer@feddit.org 37 points 10 months ago (8 children)

Once rebooted, you need to enter your PIN to unlock the phone (and the SIM as well). Before that it is not possible to unlock the phone with biometric credentials (face ID or fingerprint).

As far as I'm aware, police can force you to hand over your biometric credentials (they can hold the phone to your face to unlock it when you have face ID enabled, or can move your finger to the fingerprint sensor). But they can't force you to reveal the PIN number.

[–] EndlessNightmare@reddthat.com 3 points 10 months ago

or can move your finger to the fingerprint sensor).

Good luck guessing which finger and on which hand. You have 3 tries before a password is required.

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