Apple’s iOS 17 was officially launched at the iPhone maker’s annual Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), along with a slew of shiny new features. What does this new release mean for security and privacy?
iOS 16 brought many improvements to iPhone security and privacy, including passkeys, security quick response, and many more security features.
The focus on privacy and security is set to continue with iOS 17, with these areas increasingly important to all iPhone users. Sideloading is also supposed to appear in iOS 17. However, it is currently absent from the beta version of the new iPhone software.
Here are some of the best new features coming to iOS 17 in the fall.
check in
A new security feature, called Check-In, is planned for iOS 17. It allows you to select specific contacts who will be notified when you get home, after a party for example. If Check In detects that you are not back on time, it will send you a message to check that everything is OK.
If there is no response, he or she can send your chosen contact details of where you are, eg the exact location you are at. The data is protected with end-to-end encryption, which means no one can see it, not even Apple.
“A lot of people report feeling somewhat insecure when they go home at night,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, in an interview with FastCompany. Check-in is a way to “provide a certain level of comfort and security to a large number of people”.
According to Jake Moore, global cybersecurity consultant at ESET, the new “sign-in” feature will impress those who want to stay physically secure and provide “simple, non-intrusive peace of mind” to users and selected contacts.
However, he warns of the dangers of anxiety. For example, people may stay out longer than expected and selected people may “worry unnecessarily”. However, he adds that this “will likely work out over time.”
boost to “isolation” mode
iOS 17 will also include an improved Quarantine Mode, an iPhone security feature designed to protect personally targeted individuals from attacks such as spyware. Quarantine mode isn’t for everyone — it makes your iPhone almost completely unusable — but it’s an essential tool for anyone who might be the target of these sophisticated attacks. In iOS 17, Quarantine Mode will include new features such as preventing iPhones from connecting to 2G networks and automatically connecting to unsecured wireless networks. Isolation mode will also be available on the Apple Watch.
Link tracking protection
In iOS 17, Apple will introduce link tracking protection for apps like Messages and Mail, as well as private browsing in Safari. The updated operating system will remove parts of links that allow marketers to track you as you browse the web.
Mr. Moore is pleased to add the Track Minimization feature in iOS 17. It can be essential when trying to protect your privacy. Self-counting is a great feature that helps ensure marketers don’t easily default to tracking every click. »
Share the password
Sharing passwords is generally a bad idea, but there are reasons you might want to share your credentials with family or friends, such as logging into streaming services. iOS 17 will make the process more secure, so you don’t need to share your password in clear text anymore. It will even send a two-factor authentication code to your chosen contact if you use it to password protect the secure account.
Moore notes that sharing passwords is a “big mistake,” but admits that it is sometimes necessary, such as when it comes to sharing the password of a home or office Wi-Fi network. The latest password sharing feature update will protect both physical and digital eyes from viewing private data. »
Direct voicemail
With iOS 17, Apple is introducing a new way to screen your calls with live voicemail. When you get a call and the caller leaves a message, Apple sends you a live transcript so you can decide whether to talk or ignore the caller. This feature can be very useful.
iOS 17 is coming soon
The iPhone OS update is likely to arrive in September, when Apple launches its latest smartphones. Until then, expect to see many security and privacy improvements.
Translated article from the American magazine Forbes – Author: Kate O’Flaherty
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