In recent times we’ve been hearing about how law enforcement agencies have managed to get their hands on software and hardware that grants them access to locked iPhones. This comes on the heels of Apple refusing unlock iPhones belonging to suspects (at least not without a valid warrant) or installing a backdoor for law enforcement agencies.
Now we had heard that in iOS 12, Apple has come up with a way that could potentially render the software and hardware used by law enforcement to access locked iPhones useless. It turns out the reports were true as Apple has essentially confirmed it, according to a report from The New York Times (via MacRumors).
For those unfamiliar with the previous report, basically it suggested that Apple would lock the Lightning connector on the iPhone if it has been detected that the user has not unlocked the phone for an hour. To unlock the port to enable data transfer, users would then need to enter the phone’s password.
What this effectively does is it renders devices like the GrayKey Box useless due to the fact that the timeframe has been shortened to an hour, making it pretty much impossible for it to work. Apple has defended this change in iOS 12, claiming that it was done out of security purposes and not to frustrate law enforcement personnel who are just trying to do their jobs.
Filed in . Read more about iOS, iOS 12, iPhone and Security.