USB Accessory Can Defeat iOS's New "USB Restricted Mode" Security Feature
Jul 10, 2018
With the release of iOS 11.4.1, Apple has finally rolled out a new security feature designed to protect your devices against USB accessories that connect to the data port, making it harder for law enforcement and hackers to break into your iPhone or iPad without your permission. Dubbed USB Restricted Mode , the feature automatically disables data connection capabilities of the Lightning port on your iPhone or iPad if the device has been locked for an hour or longer, while the port can still be used for device charging. In other words, every time you lock your iPhone, a countdown timer of an hour gets activated in the background, which if completed, enables the USB restricted mode to prevent unauthorized access to the data port. Once the USB Restricted Mode gets activated, there's no way left for breaking into an iPhone or iPad without the user's permission. The feature would, no doubt, defeat law enforcement's use of special unlocking hardware made by Cellebrite