Even shutting down your iPhone won’t protect it from hackers, although experts say most people shouldn’t be concerned.
iPhones might be exposed to security risks even while turned off. When the power is turned off, wireless chips, including Bluetooth, operate in low power mode. Malicious actors can employ malware to take advantage of the low power mode.
“When a user shuts down their device through the phone’s menu or power button, they have a reasonable belief that all the processors are shut down, but that is not the case,” says Alex Alexakis, the founder of Pixel Chefs. “FindMy, for example, must function even when the devices are turned off. This necessitates the use of a processor.”
iPhones that are zombies
The iPhone’s low-power mode (LPM), which powers near-field communication, ultra-wideband, and Bluetooth, was investigated by researchers.
The researchers claimed in their article that “the existing LPM implementation on Apple iPhones is unclear and introduces additional vulnerabilities.” “LPM support cannot be removed with system upgrades because it is reliant on the iPhone’s hardware. As a result, it has a long-term impact on the whole security paradigm of iOS. To our knowledge, we are the first to investigate undocumented LPM features included in iOS 15 and discover a number of concerns.”
Modern mobile gadgets are made up of a variety of computer processors. When using a smartphone, the application processor (AP) and the baseband processor are the individuals that interact the most (BP).
When your phone is turned off, don’t be too concerned about threats. On the plus side, threats targeting stand-by CPUs that are functioning when a device is turned off are theoretical.
Furthermore, unless you’re likely to be targeted by a nation-state adversary—for example, if you’re a human rights advocate or journalist critical of a repressive government you’re not likely to ever run into this type of situation. Don’t believe that your phone is ever completely off if you’re a prospective target for a nation-state opponent.
Defending Yourself
It takes more than a push of the power button to keep your phone data safe from hackers, according to Jason Wise, the chief editor at Earth Web.
The only way to really secure oneself is to install a Faraday cage, which filters all signals from your phone.
“The issue is that the vast majority of people will never use one,” he continued. “They are inconvenient since they prevent your phone from communicating. There is no way to be notified by phone, text, or social media, and most individuals would risk their safety for the sake of convenience. I only use one for travel, but I plan to use it more frequently now.”
