Apple Shares Manual on How to Lock Down Devices When Personal Safety is at Risk

[MacRumors]

Apple recently shared a manual [PDF] that outlines the steps that one should take to protect their devices and their data when personal safety is at risk. This is designed for people who need to protect themselves from being tracked by a former loved one, a stalker, or another malicious person.

There are a lot of location sharing and data sharing tools that are available in iOS, and those who aren't as familiar with how those services work will find detailed instructions on protecting their location, data, and more.

If you're concerned that someone is accessing information you did not share from your Apple device, this guide will also help you identify risks, and walk you through the steps to help make the technology you rely on as private and secure as you want it to be.

The document instructs users to update their software to the latest version of iOS, restore the device to factory settings, and protect a device with a passcode, passwords, Touch ID, and Face ID. It has steps for protecting an Apple ID with two-factor authentication and details on how to use built-in privacy tools to prevent apps from accessing data.

There are also walkthroughs on making sure location information isn't shared with people that it shouldn't be in the Find My app, and ensuring that iCloud data, photos, calendars, and more are protected and not shared.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1339972455956426754

The document includes steps on deleting unknown third-party apps and unknown configuration profiles that may be used maliciously for tracking purposes.

It wraps up with several checklists on how to determine if anyone else has access to a device or account, how to to stop sharing with people previously shared with, and how to make sure no one else can see a device's location.

Article Link: Apple Shares Manual on How to Lock Down Devices When Personal Safety is at Risk

 

[Jefe's MacAir]

This is great.

 

[applicious84]

This is really useful. I'm especially into this

It wraps up with several checklists on how to determine if anyone else has access to a device or account, how to to stop sharing with people previously shared with, and how to make sure no one else can see a device's location.

 

[alexandr]

sharing your activity with apple watch may inform your stalker how much and how fast you are running away.

 

[igetit]

Link to PDF doesn't work...

Update: it got fixed...

 

[adamw]

Thanks Apple for providing this extra measure of safety and security.

 

[centauratlas]

This is great.

I agree, this is important information.

It won't take long for someone to complain that this (a) gives people instructions on how to monitor someone who hasn't read the guide, and (b) that it likewise gives instructions by omission on other ways (e.g. the ways not mentioned in here) to monitor people.

 

[johnmarki]

The more privacy info, tutorials, and OS updates Apple wants to roll out, the better.

 

[iObama]

This is very, VERY cool. I hate to heap too much praise on a $1t corporation in the year 2020, but this will absolutely save lives and help people get free from abusive situations.

Proud to be an Apple fanboy today

 

[iamgalt]

"Apple is only doing this to put more strain on small businesses and are only looking to protect their interests."

-Mark Z.

 

[beach bum]

I like this. Very useful information. I’m going to email this to my relatives and friends... hmmm, I could also cc my work as many have company iPhones.

 

[SDJim]

This is excellent. Is Apple perfect? Absolutely not. But this is a wonderful effort.

 

[dojoman]

Apple should add Guided Access in pdf. I use it all the time when I handoff my phone to someone to take a look at something briefly on an app but they won't be able to go to home screen unless I disable with FaceID.

 

[ryanflanders256]

I'd guess this is more of a preemptive CYA legal defense than a PR thing.

 

[Doctor Q]

This is designed for people who need to protect themselves from being tracked by a former loved one, a stalker, or another malicious person.

And people hiding from law enforcement!

Seriously, I'm glad Apple has provided this. Even if you're not in personal danger, it's a good reminder of where you can be tracked.

 

[sgtaylor5]

Immediately saved to DEVONthink. This may help one of my customers.

 

[DanTSX]

And people hiding from law enforcement!

Seriously, I'm glad Apple has provided this. Even if you're not in personal danger, it's a good reminder of where you can be tracked.

Get a warrant 😜

which would probably result in tracking despite these measures...

 

[einsteinbqat]

Could we have the link to the webpage that directs to the PDF, and not the PDF itself? Just so that one can share this document in another language than just English.

 

[gagarin]

Could we have the link to the webpage that directs to the PDF, and not the PDF itself? Just so that one can share this document in another language than just English.

It is from here https://support.apple.com/en-euro/HT212023 -- actually many languages are omitted from there

 

[einsteinbqat]

It is from here https://support.apple.com/en-euro/HT212023 -- actually many languages are omitted from there

Thanks for the link! And you are right. It seems like it only is available in English. That is unfortunate!

 

[Tech198]

haha.. ya, you actually need a manual for this stuff now because there are so many options to enable/disable for privacy..

What a game changer that was.

 

[Baymowe335]

This is very, VERY cool. I hate to heap too much praise on a $1t corporation in the year 2020, but this will absolutely save lives and help people get free from abusive situations.

Proud to be an Apple fanboy today

$2.15T.

 

[Nekomichi]

sharing your activity with apple watch may inform your stalker how much and how fast you are running away.

People might laugh at this thought, but this is exactly how a former colleague of mine tracked her ex. She kept him added on Apple Watch Fitness and checked his step count periodically to determine if he was home or on the move. I've forwarded him this article.

 

[alexandr]

People might laugh at this thought, but this is exactly how a former colleague of mine tracked her ex. She kept him added on Apple Watch Fitness and checked his step count periodically to determine if he was home or on the move. I've forwarded him this article.

as we say - every joke is only part joke)

 

[DeepIn2U]

I like this. Very useful information. I’m going to email this to my relatives and friends... hmmm, I could also cc my work as many have company iPhones.

To be honest your work should’ve had this already and communicated out to ALL employees with access to corporate information on their personal or corporate owned iOS deviceS.

In fact ... most likely they’re using an MDM (in-house managed Or as a service) and SHOULD have MDM security profile already installed during corporate Calendar/Contacts/Email/File Share access with restrictions to social apps having access or other apps with a pop-up warning when forwarding corporate email to an external email domain. Also have warnings when you’re roaming out of country or better yet have corporate roaming data enabled unless you’ve requested and your manager has approved - with a stern caution.

That is just a handkerchief overview of what I manage and have been managing on corporate or personally owned BlackBerry’s, iPhones, iPads, and Android devices since 2007.

So check with your I.T. reps about a much more in-depth overview of corporate security before emailing contacts at work. It wouldn‘t hurt beyond causing a bit of needless alarm IF and only IF all bases and more is covered. Still its great to be safe.

Cheers.