On Thursday 404 Media reported that police were freaking out about mysteriously rebooting iPhones. Now multiple experts have found that Apple introduced code that reboots locked phones after a period of time.

Apple quietly introduced code into iOS 18.1 which reboots the device if it has not been unlocked for a period of time, reverting it to a state which improves the security of iPhones overall and is making it harder for police to break into the devices, according to multiple iPhone security experts.

On Thursday, 404 Media reported that law enforcement officials were freaking out that iPhones which had been stored for examination were mysteriously rebooting themselves. At the time the cause was unclear, with the officials only able to speculate why they were being locked out of the devices. Now a day later, the potential reason why is coming into view.

“Apple indeed added a feature called ‘inactivity reboot’ in iOS 18.1.,” Dr.-Ing. Jiska Classen, a research group leader at the Hasso Plattner Institute, tweeted after 404 Media published on Thursday along with screenshots that they presented as the relevant pieces of code.

  • viking@infosec.pubEnglish
    25·
    5 days ago

    Don’t they auto update the OS when connected to a charger? But even then, that would have triggered a reboot already.

    • ziggurat@lemmy.worldEnglish
      61·
      5 days ago

      This is the easiest thing for people with money, and motivation to avoid happening.

      Remove the sim card if it’s an older device, use a Faraday cage (your microwave is one) or a jammer. If you are the government you can also tell the telecom to block the phone from connecting

      • bassomitron@lemmy.worldEnglish
        7·
        5 days ago

        Police may be leaving phones online in case it continues receiving relevant evidence (texts, emails, etc).

      • Aceticon@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        5 days ago

        I think you’re seriously overestimating the technical prowess of the average law enforcement officer…