Apple has reported that since the introduction of its Lockdown Mode nearly four years ago, it has not encountered any successful hacks on devices with this feature activated. This announcement was made by spokesperson Sarah O’Rourke during an interview with TechCrunch on Friday, emphasizing the effectiveness of Lockdown Mode against government spyware.
Introduced in 2022, Lockdown Mode is an opt-in security measure designed to disable specific functions on iPhones and other Apple products that are often targeted by spyware. This initiative aims to protect vulnerable users from threats posed by companies like NSO Group and Intellexa. Apple has proactively notified customers in over 150 countries about potential spyware attacks, demonstrating the company's heightened awareness of these risks.
Notably, independent security experts, including those from Amnesty International and the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab, have also stated that they have not found any evidence of successful spyware attacks bypassing Lockdown Mode. Research indicates that in some instances, spyware attempts have even been thwarted by this feature.