Lockdown Mode is a sometimes overlooked feature of Apple devices that broadly make them harder to hack. A court record indicates the feature might be effective at stopping third parties unlocking someone's device. At least for now.
Rebooting your phone actually encrypts the device, and it will stay encrypted until the first unlock. But the side button simply disables biometrics. The phone is still unencrypted on the backend, so other workarounds (like some sort of exploit that allows them to bypass the PIN) will allow them to see the phone’s contents.
This is particularly important because cops can image a phone after they seize it, to try and hack later. If they manage to image the unencrypted phone, that whole process is much easier. But if the phone is encrypted when they image it, they’ll basically just get white noise.
Lock down will do things like disable biometrics, but the phone has still been unlocked and is no longer in a fully encrypted state like it is if powered off.
on Android, you can Press and hold the power button. a menu with 4 options will appear, the top right is the lockdown.
To enable it on Samsung devices
This does not work on all android phones. Does nothing on the OnePlus.
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It requires a regular pin if you have buometrics set up, doesn’t shpw notifications
Mine doesn’t even have the option. Seriously made a mistake with going samsung.
It’s been a while since I had a Samsung, but iirc there’s an option to add it to your power menu.
More importantly, rebooting or powering off the phone is more secure anyways. You should just do that in 99% of circumstances.
My phone decided to change what holding the power button does at some point, so watch out for that.
For those wanting to ensure theirs does the same, at least for Samsung, it’s under:
Advanced Features > Side Button > Long Press
What’s the difference between lockdown and just rebooting your phone (putting it into the first-run state)?
Rebooting your phone actually encrypts the device, and it will stay encrypted until the first unlock. But the side button simply disables biometrics. The phone is still unencrypted on the backend, so other workarounds (like some sort of exploit that allows them to bypass the PIN) will allow them to see the phone’s contents.
This is particularly important because cops can image a phone after they seize it, to try and hack later. If they manage to image the unencrypted phone, that whole process is much easier. But if the phone is encrypted when they image it, they’ll basically just get white noise.
Lock down will do things like disable biometrics, but the phone has still been unlocked and is no longer in a fully encrypted state like it is if powered off.
Oooohh, I always thought that was screen lock.