Hackers May Have Already Defeated Apple’s USB Restricted Mode For iPhone

It seems that the cat and mouse chase between Apple and people who want to get access to iPhone is never going to end.

Recently, the iPhone-maker announced a security feature to prevent unauthorized cracking of iPhones. When the device isn’t unlocked for an hour, the Lightning port can be used for nothing but charging. The feature is a part of the iOS 12 update, which is expected to launch later this month.

GrayKey, a comparatively new iPhone cracking tool, has surfaced as a more reliable solution for law enforcement officials while accessing iPhones during investigations. And its developer GrayShift is making sure that any changes made by Apple don’t affect the efficiency of their device.

A forensic expert told Motherboard in an email that “GrayKey has gone to great lengths to future-proof their technology and stated that have already defeated this security feature in the beta build.”

“They seem very confident in their staying power for the future right now.”

Another source said that GrayShift had addressed the USB restricted access during a webinar a few weeks ago.

According to Apple, the feature is designed to defend against hackers, identity thieves, and intrusions into people’s personal data. They’re not meant to disrupt the work of law enforcement agencies.

Whether or not GrayShift manages to bypass Apple’s security, it would make it harder for wannabe hackers and street thieves to just plug-in an iPhone into a computer and access data. By default, the USB Restricted Mode is enabled, but users can turn it off in the Settings.

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