Apple launches iOS 18 feature that makes breaking into iPhones harder

A new iOS 18 feature will apparently make it harder for law enforcement ncies to unlock iPhones that have remained locked for a few days. Introduced quietly to all eligible iPhone models that support iOS 18 update, new feature reboots iPhone if it has t been unlocked using legitimate methods for four days, challenging attempts at breaking into device.

As reported by 404 Media, feature is called "inactivity reboot," implemented in 'keybagd' and 'AppleSEPKeyStore' kernel extension. new functionality was discovered by iPhone security experts after reports of iPhones, stored for examination at police stations in US, began rebooting automatically. iPhones restarting first triggered police warnings based on assumption that Apple pushed an update to cause devices to reboot, but a closer look under hood revealed "inactivity reboot" code in iOS 18.1.

According to Chris We, founder of mobile analysis company Corellium, iPhones running iOS 18.1 will automatically reboot in case y have t been unlocked for four days. After y have restarted, iPhones will enter a more secure "Before First Unlock," or BFU, state. This mode restricts law enforcement officials or anyone trying to pry into iPhone from extracting data from iPhone, according to Dakota State University's digital forensics lab (via Verge).

BFU state is triggered on both iOS and Android devices and can be removed only through pattern, passcode, or PIN. biometric-based unlocking facility does t work first time someone tries to unlock iPhone.

new iOS update is latest attempt at making iPhone harder to compromise, ding to frustration of law enforcement ncies that have repeatedly asked Apple to create backdoors for data extraction, especially in cases involving criminals. Apple has resisted se requests, including those from Forensics Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of US, which later resorted to developing workarounds to get into iPhone.