The iOS 11.4.1 upgrade is small by Apple standards – coming in at around 200MB – but it represents a big headache for the law enforcement and other organizations that want to gain access to someone else’s phone because it kills off the most common route to bypass the device’s security.
The update includes a new feature called “USB Restricted Mode” that will disable a data connection from the iPhone’s charging/data port at the bottom of the device after one hour of being locked by default. Originally, Apple planned to have the restricted mode kick in after a week but last month changed its mind to reduce the time limit to an hour.
If you go to Settings and check under Face ID (or Touch ID) & Passcode, you’ll see a new toggle for USB Accessories. By default, the switch is off. This means that once your iPhone or iPad has been locked for over an hour straight, iOS will no longer allow USB accessories to connect to the device — shutting out cracking tools like GrayKey as a result. If you’ve got accessories that you want to continue working after your iPhone has been sitting locked for a while, you can toggle the option on to remove the hour limit.
You should leave the toggle disabled if you want your iPhone to be most secure.
How to Update to iOS 11.4.1
The over the air method is extremely easy to get by. Simply connect to your home’s WiFi network and make sure you have more than 50% battery remaining on your iPhone or iPad. I highly recommend connecting your device to a charger during the update process.
Once that is out of the way, navigate to Settings > General > Software Update. As soon as the iOS 11.4.1 update shows up, tap on Download and Install.
