Apple ’s later move in its on-going war of run-in with the FBI , National Security Agency , and other intelligence and law enforcement means over encryption is a feature that turns off USB information access on locked iOS machine .
According toTechCrunchandMacRumors , Elcomsoft researchersrecently discovered a feature called “ USB Restricted Mode ” hidden in the iOS 11.4 code . When the mode is activate , an iOS gadget like an iPhone will incapacitate all data admittance via the Lightning interface after a hebdomad of not being unlocked or twin to a computer . Charging will continue to work .
Elcomsoft wrote :
The functionality of USB Restricted Mode is actually very round-eyed . Once the iPhone or iPad is updated to the latest rendering of iOS supporting the feature , the gimmick will turn off the USB data connection over the Lightning port one calendar week after the equipment has been last unlocked .
At this point , it is still unclear whether the USB interface is occlude if the machine has not been unsecured with a passcode for 7 consecutive sidereal day ; if the twist has not been unlatched at all ( word or biometrics ) ; or if the twist has not been unlocked or connected to a trusted USB machine or data processor .
With this security characteristic activated , investigator or anyone else hoping to break into an Apple twist will have even more of a modified timeframe to do so . Shutting down the USB porthole automatically also intend Apple has come up with a method acting to foreclose gimmick accession without having to obtain cognition of whatever vulnerability Grayshift and its competitors like Cellerbrite have apparently learned of .
If USB Restricted Mode is activated , authority wo n’t be able to simply stash iPhones they ca n’t unlock in grounds lockers until a new proficiency to break into them emerges , barring some way to work around the handicapped Lightning port , which sounds kind of difficult . It also means agencies like FBIwon’t be able to grandstandabout how Apple should be force to construct them a fancy hacking peter the next sentence they acquire a phone they ’re unable to unlock themselves in the required timeframe . basically , that gadget will be on another level of computer hardware lockdown that Apple ca n’t deactivate after the fact .
Other recent iOS 11 updates have introduced time limits for local backup technique that could be used to excerpt information from a gadget , MacRumors noted .
Update 9:25am , May 9 : USB Restricted Mode may not be do to Io anytime soon after all . AsCyberScoop cover , the feature film is not included in the currentiOS 11.4 genus Beta release notes , while it was in the iOS 11.3 tone ending notes but never really made it into that expiration . Further , ElcomSoft ’s chief executive , Vladimir Katalov , tells CyberScoop that their report was based primarily on third - company chatter about the feature . “ We had to operate with what Cellebrite and GrayShift say , as well as their users — but there is of course not 100 per centum guarantee , ” Katalov told CyberScoop . “ Sometimes we even have to be provocative a little bit , because that seems to be the only way to get public answer from Apple . ”
We have get to out to Apple to clarify what ’s bechance with USB Restricted Mode and will update when we experience a reply .
[ TechCrunch , MacRumors ]
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