Security News Apple is updating iOS to lock out police iPhone hacking tools

LASER_oneXM

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Apple says that it is planning to release an iOS update that will block a loophole used by police to access iPhones.

Law enforcement agencies and hackers have been able to exploit a handset's Lightning port to get around passcode limits and brute force their way into a phone. But with the upcoming update, Apple will shut down data access via the Lightning port after an hour if the correct passcode is not entered.
The technique of accessing iPhone via the charging port in this way is one that is used by forensic companies GrayShift, Cellebrite and others, but it is also used by hackers and by unscrupulous governments. Apple says that it is introducing the change in the name of user protection, but stresses that it does not want to stand in the way of police investigations.

In a statement Apple said:
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Ink

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Source: Apple's 'USB Restricted Mode' closes security loophole on locked iPhones, thwarting police data extraction

Quoted:

"We're constantly strengthening the security protections in every Apple product to help customers defend against hackers, identify thieves and intrusions into their personal data," Apple 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."​
The new default settings will have a feature Apple call a "USB restricted mode" which has been present in developer betas for both iOS 12 and iOS 11.4.1. With this feature, all communication through a Lightning port to USB connection will be blocked on unlocked and dormant devices.​
 

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