Apple’s iOS 12 is all about Security

iOS 12 is all set to hit the market by September 2018. The preview is done, beta testers are in place and it all looks fine. Talking about features in iOS 12, we’ll see apps that might take much of our attention, and you have those winking 3-D emoji. They say the new OS will be a major step towards smartphone security. Full device encryption, and tightly locked App Store, Apple is going to be more secure than before.

Smarter Two-Factor

Since Apple allows users to have two-factor authentication for those apps that users feel is important. It means just a username and password is not enough to log into your account when you are doing so in the new device.

So this is going to be a pain for the hackers just in case he has your login credentials. At the same time, it will also be a tough move for the device owner who keeps logging in multiple devices at different places. Apple says the new feature Security code AutoFill will ease that inconvenience

When a 2FA code comes into your iPhone via SMS, in iOS 12 it will automatically pass over to the app that’s requesting it on screen, so there’s no need to switch between apps or copy numbers over. Ultimately, it makes 2FA easier to adopt, and every little bit helps.

Less Ad Tracking

The browser Safari is already famous for the fact that it does not allow third-party cookies, which follows you when you hit multiple websites, even the first-party cookies older than 30-days. So with safari as long you are logging into a website at regular intervals, it will not be able to track you to know your browsing habits.

We have heard that Safari in iOS 12 will go even further by blocking the comment section and social media sharing icon. It is because these provisions facilitated by a 3rd party, which can identify you even if you are not interacting with them.

Social media icons are also great snoopers, take for instance the Facebook share button on a website can recognize you instantly and will link your page to your FB account. This can happen even if you don’t share anything. The code embedded in the share button will register how long you spend your time on Facebook.

In addition, Apple will take a stand against “fingerprinting” in Safari on iOS, the practice by which ad trackers can recognize you from the unique fingerprint of your device; the hardware data fed through the browser, the browser configuration, and so on. Even if a tracking code doesn’t know exactly who you are, it can spot your device and start to build up a picture of your browsing patterns as your device visits multiple sites. iOS 12 will restrict this, too, in Safari.

More features like Encrypted Group Video Chat

iOS is full of encryption from text chats through iMessage, and with the passcode or fingerprint or face that is registered with the iPhone, the data can’t be read.

Apple believes that chat from the location to the receiver is vulnerable and can be read by the third party. So in order to get the worried user some solace, the chat is encrypted and cannot be accessed even if Apple wants to look at it.

Instant 911 Location Sharing

Apple is in partnership with RapidSOS to upgrade all its 6500 emergency call centers across the US. This will enable the iPhone to send the exact location to the call center next time when someone in distress calls 911.

911 calls are critical at times because most of the time the police is not able to locate the person, it is just a matter of seconds. So if you have that data about location he can be reached faster. It can also help people who are calling from an unfamiliar location. Apple has this technology called HELO that sends the data to the operator at the call center.

Stronger Hacking Protections

When someone wants to hack into your iPhone without your permission—whether it’s a criminal saboteur or a law enforcement agent—they often do so via some kind of brute-force approach, making multiple attempts at entry in quick succession.

Hacking into any device is often done with a brute-force approach that follows multiple attempts to gain entry. To deal with this iOS 12 will bring down the window of time. For example, if the iPhone is left unlocked for more than an hour, it will switch itself to charging the only mode, thus neutralizing the change to pull the data from it.