Apple says no one using Lockdown Mode has been hacked with spyware
Almost four years after launching a security feature called Lockdown Mode, Apple says it has yet to see a case where someone’s device was hacked with these additional security protections switched on.
“We are not aware of any successful mercenary spyware attacks against a Lockdown Mode-enabled Apple device,” Apple spokesperson Sarah O’Rourke told TechCrunch on Friday.
It’s the tech giant’s most recent affirmation that Apple devices with Lockdown Mode can withstand government spyware attacks, after first making the claim a year after the security feature’s debut.
Apple in 2022 announced Lockdown Mode , an opt-in series of security protections that switches off certain features in iPhones and other Apple devices that are commonly exploited to hack targets with spyware. Apple specifically released this security mode to help at-risk customers defend themselves from the threats posed by government spyware made by companies like Intellexa , NSO Group , and Paragon Solutions .
In recent years, Apple has conceded that its customers can be hacked by spyware and has been more proactive about notifying customers who have been targeted.
Apple has sent numerous batches of notifications to users in over 150 countries, alerting them that they may have been hacked with spyware, which shows how much visibility the company now has on these types of attacks. Apple has never said how many users it has notified, but it’s likely fair to assume there have been dozens, if not more.