7 ms·

Apple indeed added a feature called "inactivity reboot" in iOS 18.1

39 points by develatio 2y ago

xenospn 2y ago
Oh that’s so simple and clever! So the cops keep all phones plugged in and unlocked at all times to prevent them from re-locking?
- avidiax 2y ago
  If they can't keep them unlocked, they at least don't want them to reboot, since that puts the phone in a less exploitable state. If they never reboot, then the phone can just be kept powered and isolated for years if need be to find an exploit in the AFU (after first-unlock) decrypted but screenlocked state.
natebc 2y ago
also being discussed here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42081874 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42081874
- dang 2y ago
  Thanks! Macroexpanded: Cops suspect iOS 18 iPhones are communicating to force reboots - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42081874 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42081874 - Nov 2024 (282 comments)
oever 2y ago
And web apps on iOS cannot prevent the screen from dimming and locking, making many type of applications impossible to develop as PWA: https://bugs.webkit.org/show_bug.cgi?id=254545 https://bugs.webkit.org/show_bug.cgi?id=254545 It's a bug that's been open for years and happens to be beneficial for the app store.
- hollerith 2y ago
  Unless I'm missing something, it also happens to benefit the average user for a random web site not to be able to prevent the phone's screen from locking.
  - SigmundA 2y ago
    The bug states that it works in the browser just not in PWA's. So random websites can actually do this, but not websites the users specifically installs as a PWA, which is kinda the opposite of what you would expect.
    - oever 2y ago
      Exactly, for example IndexedDB, which let's an app use more storage, is only available to PWA's. With the wakelock API it's the reverse.
    - hollerith 2y ago
      Oh my.
fingerlocks 2y ago
Does anyone know what IDE is used in the screenshot?
- johnisgood 2y ago
  Looks like VS Code.
- aseipp 2y ago
  They are using Binary Ninja.
ChrisArchitect 2y ago
Related: Cops Suspect iOS 18 iPhones Are Communicating to Force Reboots https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42081874 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42081874
Terretta 2y ago
“Apple's privacy is just marketing smoke and mirrors” — an HN commenter, probably For every privacy feature Apple advertise to consumers about, there are ten they didn't, that still very much raise the bar. The quiet improvements are so under-marketed that even technically savvy users aren't aware of most of them. There was a period before MDM matured that certain three letter U.S. Gov agencies forbade iPhones. Not because they were insecure, but because the agency's infosec team couldn't surveil the devices or break in to do a data dump if the employee was under investigation. Certainly, they still have zero days, and vulns dating back longer than anyone would like. So it's interesting what's happening to iOS use of C: https://blog.timac.org/2023/1019-state-of-swift-and-swiftui-ios17/ https://blog.timac.org/2023/1019-state-of-swift-and-swiftui-...
- lesuorac 2y ago
  Privacy is a vague term though. While Apple may have features to ensure that only you have access to your phone. They still run a very large ad network. Like Google has a lot of features to avoid other people from logging into your account. That doesn't mean they don't track your activities and centrally log it.
  - tonyedgecombe 2y ago
    >They still run a very large ad network. If you expect perfection you are always going to be disappointed.
- jmpman 2y ago
  Interesting point about MDM. Could the government compel my employer to use their MDM control of my device to gain access?
  - voidwtf 2y ago
    The MDM does not give your employer a way to retroactively unlock the phone. Depending on the MDM solution and capabilities they allowed they may be able to install an application though. But most people that have accepted MDM on their personal device from their employer, the only thing the employer can do is remotely wipe the device.
n8henrie 2y ago
https://archive.is/lpoLQ https://archive.is/lpoLQ
draxter 2y ago
I wonder if the recent retiring of the CEO of Cellebrite has something to do with this. I read that since IOS 17.4 they've been having troubles accessing devices.
- alphan0n 2y ago
  Graykey, acquired by Magnet Forensics in its merger with Grayshift, is the market to watch here. They’re espousing support for unlocking iOS 18.x https://www.magnetforensics.com/blog/graykey-supported-mobile-devices/ https://www.magnetforensics.com/blog/graykey-supported-mobil...
a_vanderbilt 2y ago
Seems to me like it was low-hanging fruit that Apple (no pun intended) finally decided to pick. I imagine dropping to a BFU state will help curb possible brute force or physical access attacks. The relative security/ongoing improvements of iPhones/iOS have given LEOs a certain level of unjust paranoia whenever a new security feature is rolled out.

39 points by develatio 2y ago

Oh that’s so simple and clever! So the cops keep all phones plugged in and unlocked at all times to prevent them from re-locking?

avidiax 2y ago
If they can't keep them unlocked, they at least don't want them to reboot, since that puts the phone in a less exploitable state. If they never reboot, then the phone can just be kept powered and isolated for years if need be to find an exploit in the AFU (after first-unlock) decrypted but screenlocked state.

natebc 2y ago

also being discussed here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42081874 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42081874

dang 2y ago
Thanks! Macroexpanded: Cops suspect iOS 18 iPhones are communicating to force reboots - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42081874 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42081874 - Nov 2024 (282 comments)

oever 2y ago

And web apps on iOS cannot prevent the screen from dimming and locking, making many type of applications impossible to develop as PWA: https://bugs.webkit.org/show_bug.cgi?id=254545 https://bugs.webkit.org/show_bug.cgi?id=254545 It's a bug that's been open for years and happens to be beneficial for the app store.

hollerith 2y ago
Unless I'm missing something, it also happens to benefit the average user for a random web site not to be able to prevent the phone's screen from locking.
- SigmundA 2y ago
  The bug states that it works in the browser just not in PWA's. So random websites can actually do this, but not websites the users specifically installs as a PWA, which is kinda the opposite of what you would expect.
  - oever 2y ago
    Exactly, for example IndexedDB, which let's an app use more storage, is only available to PWA's. With the wakelock API it's the reverse.
  - hollerith 2y ago
    Oh my.

fingerlocks 2y ago

Does anyone know what IDE is used in the screenshot?

johnisgood 2y ago
Looks like VS Code.
aseipp 2y ago
They are using Binary Ninja.

ChrisArchitect 2y ago

Related: Cops Suspect iOS 18 iPhones Are Communicating to Force Reboots https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42081874 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42081874

Terretta 2y ago

“Apple's privacy is just marketing smoke and mirrors” — an HN commenter, probably For every privacy feature Apple advertise to consumers about, there are ten they didn't, that still very much raise the bar. The quiet improvements are so under-marketed that even technically savvy users aren't aware of most of them. There was a period before MDM matured that certain three letter U.S. Gov agencies forbade iPhones. Not because they were insecure, but because the agency's infosec team couldn't surveil the devices or break in to do a data dump if the employee was under investigation. Certainly, they still have zero days, and vulns dating back longer than anyone would like. So it's interesting what's happening to iOS use of C: https://blog.timac.org/2023/1019-state-of-swift-and-swiftui-ios17/ https://blog.timac.org/2023/1019-state-of-swift-and-swiftui-...

lesuorac 2y ago
Privacy is a vague term though. While Apple may have features to ensure that only you have access to your phone. They still run a very large ad network. Like Google has a lot of features to avoid other people from logging into your account. That doesn't mean they don't track your activities and centrally log it.
- tonyedgecombe 2y ago
  >They still run a very large ad network. If you expect perfection you are always going to be disappointed.
jmpman 2y ago
Interesting point about MDM. Could the government compel my employer to use their MDM control of my device to gain access?
- voidwtf 2y ago
  The MDM does not give your employer a way to retroactively unlock the phone. Depending on the MDM solution and capabilities they allowed they may be able to install an application though. But most people that have accepted MDM on their personal device from their employer, the only thing the employer can do is remotely wipe the device.

n8henrie 2y ago

https://archive.is/lpoLQ https://archive.is/lpoLQ

draxter 2y ago

I wonder if the recent retiring of the CEO of Cellebrite has something to do with this. I read that since IOS 17.4 they've been having troubles accessing devices.

alphan0n 2y ago
Graykey, acquired by Magnet Forensics in its merger with Grayshift, is the market to watch here. They’re espousing support for unlocking iOS 18.x https://www.magnetforensics.com/blog/graykey-supported-mobile-devices/ https://www.magnetforensics.com/blog/graykey-supported-mobil...

a_vanderbilt 2y ago

Seems to me like it was low-hanging fruit that Apple (no pun intended) finally decided to pick. I imagine dropping to a BFU state will help curb possible brute force or physical access attacks. The relative security/ongoing improvements of iPhones/iOS have given LEOs a certain level of unjust paranoia whenever a new security feature is rolled out.