{"id":210513,"date":"2026-02-05T23:52:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T04:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news-you-need.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/05\/reporter-kept-the-fbi-out-of-her-seized-iphone-thanks-to-this-feature\/"},"modified":"2026-02-06T00:25:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T05:25:08","slug":"reporter-kept-the-fbi-out-of-her-seized-iphone-thanks-to-this-feature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news-you-need.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/05\/reporter-kept-the-fbi-out-of-her-seized-iphone-thanks-to-this-feature\/","title":{"rendered":"Reporter kept the FBI out of her seized iPhone thanks to this feature"},"content":{"rendered":"

Reporter kept the FBI out of her seized iPhone thanks to this feature<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.phonearena.com\/news\/little-used-iphone-feature-protects-users_id177959<\/a><\/p>\n

Publish Date: 2026-02-05 23:52:00<\/a><\/p>\n

Source Domain: www.phonearena.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Washington Post<\/span> reporter Hannah Natanson’s home was raided by the FBI last month and her laptop and phone were seized. The raid and the seizure of her devices were related to a government contractor who was alleged to have kept classified information. As it turns out, the government was unable to get any information out of\u00a0Natanson’s iPhone thanks to an iPhone feature that is not exactly well known.<\/p>\n

The iOS Lockdown Mode was created to protect iPhone users from malicious attacks<\/h2>\n

Around since iOS 16 in 2022, the iPhone’s Lockdown Mode prevented the FBI from examining Natanson’s handset. The FBI’s\u00a0Computer Analysis Response Team (CART) was unable to break into the phone according to the official court records, which stated, “The iPhone was found powered on and charging, and its display noted that the phone was in ‘Lockdown’ mode,” the court record says. “Because the iPhone was in Lockdown mode, CART could not extract that device.”<\/p>\n

\"Screenshot <\/p>\n

Apple’s Lockdown Mode protects iPhones from malicious attacks from hackers. | Image credit-PhoneArena<\/p>\n

The original intention of the Lockdown was to prevent an iPhone from getting infected by malware after an attack. But according to\u00a0David Huerta, senior digital security trainer at Freedom of the Press Foundation, Apple made the feature so aggressive that it also prevented the FBI, with all of its tools, from breaking into Natanson’s phone.<\/p>\n

To turn on Lockdown Mode, go to Settings \u00a0Privacy & Security. Scroll down and press on “Lockdown Mode.” Follow the instructions on the screen. In Lockdown Mode:\u00a0<\/p>\n