14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has confirmed today in a statement that it will permanently block hacking tools used by law enforcement agencies to break into its iPhone devices in an upcoming release of its iOS mobile operating system.
The company told Reuters that while it has the highest respect for the work law enforcement agencies do each day to protect citizens, it plans to make the recently documented "USB Restricted Mode" functionality permanent in an upcoming iOS release, thus blocking well-known iPhone hacking tools made by companies like GrayShift or Cellebrite.
"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," said Apple in a prepared statement for Routers. "We have the greatest respect for law enforcement, and we don’t design our security improvements to frustrate their efforts to do their jobs."
The change will protect customers from criminals and spies
Apple said that it started working on the new "USB Restricted Mode" functionality long before it found out that law enforcement agencies use these hacking tools to crack locked iPhone devices. The feature will not be visible to users, but it'll automatically turn off USB data connections, except charging capabilities, when the phone hasn't been unlocked for an hour.
The change promises to protect Apple customers from unscrupulous people, such as spies and criminals that use the same hacking tools as law enforcement agencies to crack iPhone devices in countries where there are fewer legal restrictions than in the United States. USB Restricted Mode could land with the upcoming iOS 11.4.1 release, but it will be available in the forthcoming iOS 12 release as well.
iOS 12 is Apple's most advanced mobile operating system for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices. Announced earlier this month during the WWDC 2018 developer conference, iOS 12 promises major new features and enhancements like grouped notifications, enhanced parental controls and Do Not Disturb, Siri shortcuts, new Apple Books and Measure apps, and performance improvements.