5 Important Security Features On iPhone You Should Know

After years of development, Apple has integrated many new security features to protect users' personal data. However, here are 5 important security features that you should know to help your iPhone avoid "snooping" from hackers and use the device with more peace of mind.

iOS, macOS, and iPadOS Security

Responses now allow users to enable automatic "quick security responses." This helps Apple identify issues and quickly release security patches for the software and send it to millions of devices without requiring a reboot or any user interaction.

However, even with this option turned off, Apple can still automatically update some important system files in the background.

Currently, this feature can be activated in Settings => General => Software Update => Automatic Updates.

Lockdown Mode

This feature was originally created to counter spyware such as NSO's Pegasus, while providing an extremely high level of additional protection for device owners who might be at risk from malicious threats. sophisticated cyber attacks (such as journalists, politicians, activists, government officials...)

Basically, Lockdown Mode will restrict device features that can be abused in cyberattacks, including messaging, web browsing...

If you want to try it out, go to Settings => Permissions Privacy & Security => Lock Mode => Enable Lock Mode.

Passkeys

For those unfamiliar, Passkeys is a new authentication method implemented since iOS 16 to replace the need for old-fashioned passwords. This feature is collaborated by Apple, Google and Microsoft - based on the FIDO Standard.

The setup is quite simple. Users who wish to sign up through a website or app using Passkey will be prompted to sign up for an account as usual. Next, a window will appear asking to save the key.

When users return to this website or app to sign in, they can choose their confirmation code and authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID instead of having to authenticate with a username and password manually. Passkeys works on all Apple devices running iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura.

Notes security and encryption

The ability to lock or "secure" notes created in the Notes app is not a new feature. You can set up an AES-GCM standard passcode with a password, Face ID, or Touch ID.

Safety Check

Another new security feature in iOS 16 is "Safety Check." This tool is designed for those experiencing or at risk of domestic abuse. and allows users to check with whom they are sharing information, restrict any Messages and FaceTime, reset system privacy, change any passwords associated with their iPhone or Apple ID, etc..

You can choose this feature in Settings => Privacy & Security => Safety Check.