Security News > 2022 > July > Apple’s new Lockdown Mode defends against government spyware
Apple announced that a new security feature known as Lockdown Mode will roll out with iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura to protect high-risk individuals like human rights defenders, journalists, and dissidents against targeted spyware attacks.
Once enabled, the Lockdown Mode will provide Apple customers with messaging, web browsing, and connectivity protections designed to block mercenary spyware used by government-backed hackers to monitor their Apple devices after infecting them with malware.
"Turning on Lockdown Mode in iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura further hardens device defenses and strictly limits certain functionalities, sharply reducing the attack surface that potentially could be exploited by highly targeted mercenary spyware," Apple said.
"To invite feedback and collaboration from the security research community, Apple has also established a new category within the Apple Security Bounty program to reward researchers who find Lockdown Mode bypasses and help improve its protections," Apple added.
Today's announcement came after Apple sued Pegasus spyware-maker NSO Group in November 2021 for the targeting and and spying of Apple users using NSO's surveillance tech.
Apple said at the time that state-sponsored attacks using NSO's spyware only targeted "a very small number" of individuals, across multiple platforms, including Android and Apple's iOS. The attackers deployed NSO's surveillance software on the compromised devices of high-profile targets, including government officials, diplomats, dissidents, academics, and journalists worldwide.