A new security feature in iOS 18.1 forces iPhones to reboot after a period of inactivity, aiming to prevent unauthorized access. Law enforcement officials had initially speculated that iPhones were communicating with each other to reboot, but this is not the case. The “Inactivity Reboot” feature, designed by Apple, automatically reboots an iPhone if it hasn’t been unlocked within four days.
This change has sparked frustration among law enforcement agencies, as it makes iPhones harder to unlock for forensic analysis. However, security experts believe that this measure provides a significant protection against thieves and malicious actors who may attempt to exploit the phone’s vulnerability.
Cryptographer Matthew Green notes that the feature is intended to safeguard user data by preventing hackers from “nursing” a stolen iPhone for an extended period. Apple has not commented on the change, but the relevant code modifications are available on GitHub.
Source: https://9to5mac.com/2024/11/11/ios-18-1-inactivity-reboot-iphone