Apple Lockdown Mode to safeguard high-profile users from govt spyware

New Delhi: As state-sponsored cyber attacks with government spyware like Pegasus grow, Apple has previewed an extreme level of security that offers specialised additional protection to high-profile users who may be at risk of highly targeted attacks from private companies developing state-sponsored mercenary spyware.
Called Lockdown Mode and coming this fall with iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura, the new feature is an extreme, optional protection for the very small number of users who face grave, targeted threats to their digital security, the company said in a statement late on Wednesday.
“Apple makes the most secure mobile devices on the market. Lockdown Mode is a groundbreaking capability that reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting users from even the rarest, most sophisticated attacks,” said Ivan Krstic, Apple’s head of Security Engineering and Architecture.
While the vast majority of users will never be the victims of highly targeted cyberattacks, “we will work tirelessly to protect the small number of users who are,” he added.
The new security feature comes after iPhones of high-profile people were targeted by the Pegasus software.
It was capable of reading text messages, tracking calls, collecting passwords, location tracking, accessing the target device’s microphone and camera, and harvesting information from apps.