Apple’s Lockdown Mode Web Browsing Restriction Explained: How New iOS 16 Feature Restricts Internet Access

iOS 16 was unveiled last month during Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2022. iOS 16 is already available for beta testers, and will be launched for end users later this year. iOS 16 was launched with many new features like a customisable lock screen, ability to edit and delete messages on iMessage, and more features. One of the features, however, is Lockdown Mode, which allows users to protect themselves from cyber attacks by disabling multiple device features.

The Lockdown Mode on iPhones restricts many integral features to protect users from targeted attacks or spyware, one of them being web browsing. A software engineer has now run a test through Apple’s Lockdown Mode to see exactly how the Lockdown Mode disables web browsing. Here’s how it works:

ALSO READ: Apple Lockdown Mode Explained: All Your Questions About Spyware Protection On iPhones Answered

HOW LOCKDOWN MODE RESTRICTS WEB BROWSING ON IPHONE

The first thing that Lockdown Mode does is disables the JavaScript compilation (JIL), a function which compiles code on the go, resulting in fast and efficient web browsing. With JIL on, the web browsing performance drops by 95 percent, which results in longer loading times and faster battery consumption. So if someone was trying to break into your phone, it will take them longer, and the battery will drain faster, giving them a smaller window.

Next, Lockdown Mode disables WebAssembly, which is a binary code format that helps run high performance apps and websites. WebAssembly can also be used to create a digital fingerprint of users, which helps third parties track people across websites and apps.

Lockdown Mode also disables support for MP3 on web pages, which the software engineer named Alexis Lours believes to be there to prevent attacks via MP3 files. Users can’t interact with gamepads on websites, since the controller ID can be used to track users. Previewing files is also restricted in Lockdown Mode.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/6Z5mu_2JoP0

WHAT ELSE DOES LOCKDOWN MODE RESTRICT ON YOUR IPHONE

Apart from restricting web browsing, the Lockdown Mode on iOS 16 also blocks message attachments and link priviews on Apple’s Messages app. You can only get FaceTime calls from known numbers, and iCloud Shared Albums (a new iOS 16 feature) are removed from Photos.

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