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FBI Couldn’t Get into WaPo Reporter’s iPhone Because It Had Lockdown Mode Enabled (www.404media.co)
submitted 1 day ago by tonytins@pawb.social to c/technology@lemmy.world
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The FBI has been unable to access a Washington Post reporter’s seized iPhone because it was in Lockdown Mode, a sometimes overlooked feature that makes iPhones broadly more secure, according to recently filed court records.

The court record shows what devices and data the FBI was able to ultimately access, and which devices it could not, after raiding the home of the reporter, Hannah Natanson, in January as part of an investigation into leaks of classified information. It also provides rare insight into the apparent effectiveness of Lockdown Mode, or at least how effective it might be before the FBI may try other techniques to access the device.

“Because the iPhone was in Lockdown mode, CART could not extract that device,” the court record reads, referring to the FBI’s Computer Analysis Response Team, a unit focused on performing forensic analyses of seized devices. The document is written by the government, and is opposing the return of Natanson’s devices.

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[-] frongt@lemmy.zip 12 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I had to fiddle with some stuff to get the Google location history and Android Auto working. But if you're using it for privacy-from-Google purposes you probably don't care about those.

Edit: also RCS and tap to pay with credit/debit card. Those require your carrier and Google to allow them, respectively.

[-] napoleonsdumbcousin@feddit.org 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 23 hours ago)

But if you're using it for privacy-from-Google purposes you probably don't care about those.

Correct, I am not using GrapheneOS to then give my data to Google willingly. Kinda defeats the purpose I would say. I think it is the right thing that this is blocked by default and you have to actively turn it on. (Edit: I am assuming that you are talking about the fact that location data gets redirected to GrapheneOS by default, which can be changed in settings)

also RCS

Is this a country-specific topic? I don't know anybody who still uses SMS/MMS to communicate. Everybody uses WhatsApp or Signal where I am.

[-] Ulrich@feddit.org 1 points 19 hours ago

I am not using GrapheneOS to then give my data to Google willingly

No one enables it to "give Google data", they use it to get apps to work that use it as a dependency.

I don't know anybody who still uses SMS/MMS to communicate.

RCS is neither.

[-] napoleonsdumbcousin@feddit.org 1 points 16 hours ago

No one enables it to "give Google data", they use it to get apps to work that use it as a dependency.

Well yes of course, but you are still giving away your data, regardless of intention. And a privacy feature of GrapheneOS is that it redirects location data requests to the OS by default. Thats why you have to disable it in the settings if you want Google to have this data.

RCS is neither.

AFAIK it is specifically meant as a replacement for SMS and is used with regular pre-installed SMS Apps.

[-] Ulrich@feddit.org 1 points 16 hours ago

AFAIK it is specifically meant as a replacement for SMS

Nope

and is used with regular pre-installed SMS Apps.

Only works with 3 proprietary apps, that I'm aware of. Google and Samsung Messages and iMessage.

[-] napoleonsdumbcousin@feddit.org 1 points 15 hours ago

It is a replacement of SMS and MMS on cellular networks with more modern features

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_Communication_Services

I have no deeper knowledge of this topic, but to me it seems like Wikipedia is disagreeing.

[-] Ulrich@feddit.org 2 points 14 hours ago

I mean only insofar as every other chat protocol "replaces" SMS. It only works if the other party is also using it. SMS and MMS will continue to be used with a completely different transmission mechanism.

[-] napoleonsdumbcousin@feddit.org 1 points 12 hours ago

Ah, ok I understand.

[-] Winged_Hussar@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Yeah, as an example Tmobile / Mint Mobile regularly stop working and require reprovisioning every 36 hours.

[-] Lyubo@lemmy.ml -2 points 22 hours ago

Look, there always will be obstacles. Do you have any other carrier option? If yes- change it and tell them why, if not- you're already fucked and I wouldn't comply when it's already that bad. Nothing's going to get better when doing nothing. My bank wanted to store a picture of my face on their servers to continue using their service so I changed my bank. You need to not be lazy.

this post was submitted on 04 Feb 2026
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