On July 6, Apple detailed two initiatives to help protect users who may be personally targeted by some of the most sophisticated digital threats, such as those from private companies developing state-sponsored mercenary spyware.
Lockdown Mode — the first major capability of its kind, coming this fall with iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura — is an extreme, optional protection for the very small number of users who face grave, targeted threats to their digital security, according to Ivan Krstić, Apple’s head of Security Engineering and Architecture. Tom Bridge, principal Product Manager at JumpCloud, says it’s a welcome step.
“I used to work with a number of people who were on the radar of various nation-state actors, and it was a constant worry.,” he says. “For those who work in high-value spaces with high profiles, this is a welcome change to close avenues of attack without neutering the device.”
However, he adds that Lockdown needs to be built into the operating systems, “People who need this support need it to be in the operating system, not just as a bolt-on,” Bridge says.
Apple says Lockdown Mode offers an extreme, optional level of security for the very few users who, because of who they are or what they do, may be personally targeted by some of the most sophisticated digital threats, such as those from NSO Group and other private companies developing state-sponsored mercenary spyware.
On July 6, Apple also announced that it’s making a $10 million grant, in addition to any damages awarded from the lawsuit filed against NSO Group, to support organizations that investigate, expose, and prevent highly targeted cyberattacks, including those created by private companies developing state-sponsored mercenary spyware.
