Apple's freshly issued operating system, iOS 18, has an unheard feature dubbed "inactivity reboot." It is designed to force iPhones to restart whenever an iPhone is left unlocked for 72 hours.

Well, the feature discovered by security researchers enhances the level of protection for the device since it locks the keys to the encryption inside the secure enclave chip. But for cops? It's not a great feature.

Inactivity Reboot Feature

Researchers Discover Apple's New Security Feature Reboots iPhone

The inactivity reboot puts iPhones into a more secure state, known as "Before First Unlock" (BFU), if they are left unused for three days, according to 404 Media.

In this state, all user data is encrypted, meaning without the passcode, it becomes inaccessible. In contrast, the "After First Unlock" (AFU) state allows some portions of data to stay unencrypted and thus vulnerable to forensic tools and hacking attempts.

Researcher Shows Video How it Works

This was shown very early by researcher Jiska Classen from the Hasso Plattner Institute in one video where an iPhone rebooted precisely after 72 hours of its last unlock. This timeline was similarly proven by Magnet Forensics, a company well-known in digital forensic circles. The reboot securely locks encryption keys into the hardware of the phone so that an attacker cannot access it later.

Hot vs. Cold Devices: Impact of the Transition on Digital Forensics

iPhones in BFU state, or "cold" devices, are much harder to crack. In this state, key information is sealed off to an attacker unless the owner enters their passcode. AFU, or "hot" devices are easier for law enforcement and hackers as the memory contains partial decryption from when the owner unlocked it.

Forensic firms have long preferred exploiting AFU devices based on residual passcode storage in the secure enclave. However, with the introduction of this new feature, Apple complicates such "hot" device access thereby strengthening user privacy.

Law Enforcement People Have Concerns Over Apple's Privacy Feature

Apple for many years has introduced privacy features that compel law enforcement agencies to breach their forensic examination. TechCrunch reports that the most recent example is in the case between the FBI and Apple in 2016 in which the legal tussle saw the agents agree on a third-party hacking solution to get an answer instead of getting Apple to create a backdoor.

The reboot of iPhones using inactivity reboot places Apple in its own tradition of prioritizing user privacy despite protests from law enforcement.

Although an inactivity reboot elevates the standard of security, it also creates queries concerning digital forensics as well as law enforcement agencies from around the world.

Elsewhere, the Cupertino giant made self-repair easier after it announced that iPhone 16 parts are now up for sale for those who want to do DIY fixes.

Our previous report said that parts and tools for this program can be quite expensive. You have to consider the display, the rental charge, and more.

For others, Apple's Self-Repair program is good if you want to customize your iPhone 16. However, some users still think that it is overpriced and overrated since they can go to cheaper third-party repair stations.