In the following content, I’m highlighting Apple’s powerful Lockdown Mode—an “extreme protection” feature that has gained attention from cybersecurity experts and journalists like Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai, who calls himself an “enthusiastic user” of the tool.
Apple introduced Lockdown Mode in 2022. It has become essential for those fighting against corrupt countries, protecting human rights, and speaking out against power.
Lockdown Mode disables certain features on iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Its aim is to lower the chances of hackers using advanced spyware or hidden system flaws (zero-day) to breach Apple’s defenses and monitor users.
This mode removes some common functionalities. It stops internet-loaded fonts that track users. It limits file types you can receive. It blocks location data from shared photos. It restricts 2G cellular connectivity. It also may prevent unknown callers from reaching you on FaceTime and iMessage, though this last point remains unclear.
These limitations bring a benefit. Lockdown Mode makes it harder for hackers to succeed, even the most skilled ones.
The mode has shown promise. Apple claims no successful hacks have targeted users who enable it. Citizen Lab, a digital rights group, reported one spyware attack thwarted by Lockdown Mode. I have heard complaints from some in the security industry about how Lockdown Mode complicates their efforts.
Yet, three years after its launch, the workings of Lockdown Mode remain unclear. Users do not fully understand its actions or the reasons behind them. Some notifications confuse users. They seem random or lack explanation. This uncertainty might keep some people from using it at all.
Blocked, but why?
I want to make it clear that individuals who are vulnerable to government hackers need to utilize Lockdown Mode, despite the limitations it may bring.
The issue at hand is not with the restrictions themselves. It appears that the notifications from Lockdown Mode have grown more confusing.
As an example, I recently received a Lockdown Mode notification (shown below) that mentioned a person’s name whom I hadn’t spoken to in months. However, despite the notification, I did not receive any message or call from this individual. When I inquired about it, they confirmed that they had not attempted to reach out to me.
A friend recently shared a puzzling experience that raises concerns about privacy and security in our digital lives. While scrolling through his contacts, he noticed a notification reading “Lockdown Mode blocked…” with his name attached. This implies that just viewing someone’s contact can activate Lockdown Mode, but the question remains: why?
For months, I’ve been receiving similar alerts on iMessage. Each time I use the app, I’m informed that Lockdown Mode has blocked someone “from contacting” me. This is always someone I know and who is already saved in my contacts.
What’s particularly alarming is that these notifications often appear while I’m actively messaging that very person. It leaves me wondering: will I stop receiving their messages? Have some of their messages already vanished due to Lockdown Mode?
Could it be that I’m being targeted or even hacked? Should I have my phone examined every time one of these notifications pops up?
Interestingly, despite these warnings, I can still communicate freely with the people Lockdown Mode claims to have blocked. They are reaching out, and our conversations continue without interruption. So what exactly is Lockdown Mode doing?
This situation sheds light on the complexities of our digital safety and raises important questions about how these features truly function. As we navigate this increasingly connected world, understanding the tools we use is vital to ensuring our privacy and peace of mind.
Tapping on Lockdown Mode notifications yields no result. You will not be taken to an Apple website that clarifies the purpose or function of Lockdown Mode, nor will it provide any specific information about these notifications.
According to Runa Sandvik, a hacker and founder of a startup aimed at protecting high-risk individuals such as journalists, these messages are unhelpful. They lack context and actionable steps, making it difficult to understand the issue at hand. Sandvik suggests that either Apple should provide more information or not display the messages at all.
Both Sandvik and I find ourselves perplexed whenever we receive a Lockdown Mode notification. After expressing my concerns about this on social media, multiple individuals both publicly and privately shared their own confusion with the feature. It seems we are not alone in our bewilderment.
My editor, Zack Whittaker, has been getting Lockdown Mode alerts for months. These alerts say, “An unknown contact tried to share control of Apple Music.” He also gets a message saying Lockdown Mode “blocked Focus Sharing” and “won’t be shared with others while in Lockdown.” I sometimes get this notification too.
To the lab we go
With the help of Harlo Holmes, the chief information security officer and director of digital security at Freedom of the Press Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to promoting press freedom, I conducted an experiment. I was curious whether there would be any impact on receiving perplexing notifications when someone outside my contacts attempted to contact me while Lockdown Mode was activated on my phone. Additionally, I wanted to see what kind of content would be blocked.
We mutually removed each other from our contact lists (we’re still on good terms), and proceeded to communicate through iMessage for the first time. When Holmes messaged me, even though we were not in each other’s contacts, I received a “Lockdown Mode blocked…” notification with her phone number displayed. Nevertheless, I was able to receive her message.
We communicated through various mediums such as text, emojis, and a cat picture. However, the iMessage “stickers” were the only ones that did not successfully transmit. Instead, they appeared either as a Unicode character or a file attachment that could not be opened, even after tapping on it.
When this happened, the stickers sent from our respective phones were still visible to both Holmes and I, which indicates that the blocking system was only causing the recipients. The same goes for the notification case “Lockdown Mode blocked…” which is displayed only on my mobile. Despite receiving it, Holmes was completely unaware of its presence.
This makes sense, as Apple wouldn’t want to tip off government hackers that their attempt to hack someone not only didn’t work, but also altered the targeted person that something went wrong.
That’s good to know, and again, I am happy Lockdown Mode blocks something, and makes me safer, but I still don’t know what these notifications are supposed to tell me.
Upon contacting Apple for clarification, an Apple representative refrained from providing on the record comments at the time of press. However, I did receive confirmation that my message was received by the spokesperson, indicating that Lockdown Mode did not prevent its delivery.
