New iPhone theft protection also locks out the police
11-11-2024
Translation: machine translated
With iOS 18.1, Apple appears to have introduced a new theft protection feature that makes it more difficult for unauthorised persons to access an iPhone.
Apple doesn't publicise every innovation. The police first noticed the new theft protection on devices in their evidence room. In the meantime, corresponding lines of code have been found. Official confirmation from Apple is still pending.
Restart after four days without unlocking
The first indication of the new theft protection was found by 404 Media in an official document from Detroit, Michigan. There, an official speculated about a new function that makes it more difficult to access data from iPhones. He suspects that it was introduced with iOS 18 and even causes nearby iPhones to reboot if the update is not installed.
Computer scientist Dr Jiska Classen from the Hasso Plattner Institute has discovered a possible explanation in the iOS 18.1 code. An "inactivity reboot" ensures that an iPhone reboots after four days without being unlocked.
After the reboot, both iOS and Android devices are in the so-called "Before First Unlock" or BFU status for short. This requires a password or PIN to be entered to unlock the device. It does not accept biometric data. It also limits which data can be read from the device.
Apple remains silent on the new function
An official confirmation of the new function from Apple is still pending. However, the company has already failed to provide information about every new function in the past - and has shown no consideration for law enforcement authorities when it comes to data protection.
Header image: Samuel Buchmann
As a primary school pupil, I used to sit in a friend's living room with many of my classmates to play the Super NES. Now I get my hands on the latest technology and test it for you. In recent years at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, now at Digitec and Galaxus.