iOS 12 will include a feature that could bar the government from breaking into your iPhone or iPad. The new feature will prevent law enforcement’s USB accessories from pairing with an iPhone or iPad if the device had been locked for more than one hour.
You can turn on the new feature under the Touch ID & Passcode setting. After one hour, you will have to type in a passcode to allow the device to connect again with USB accessories.
Also, you can toggle off the security feature at any time, but experts recommend leaving the feature on as there are many benefits tied to it. You’ll need to enter the passcode only to connect a USB device to your phone. You’ll not need the passcode when you are charging the handset through the Lightning port.
iOS 12 Could Help Keep Bad Actors at Bay
The security feature is not something new. It is a revamped version of the USB Restricted Mode feature from the iOS 11.4 beta. That mode shut down the USB access to the Lightning port after one week. iOS 12 slashed that period to just one day.
Law enforcement needs the USB port to connect its hacking tools, like the GrayKey box, to suspects’ devices. This tool can connect to an iPhone or iPad via the Lightning port and tries to guess the password via the data connection.
The new feature will disable USB access after one hour since the last time the user entered a password. So, law enforcement will need to access the port within an hour since the last use by the suspect.
Government spies will likely not be content with the new feature because they will have to find new ways to crack into an Apple device running iOS 12. Also, hackers and other bad actors will be kept at bay if the feature is on.
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