Number Four

On screen: Apple's iOS 11.4 update with 'USB Restricted Mode' may defeat tools like GrayKey

Here's a pretty flower to remind you of the danger (image from quozio.com)

If I could sit down and talk to a sitting Supreme Court Justice, I'd ask them if they thought this had any meaning left:

Amendment IV: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

It appears law enforcement has a new toy to break into your phone, and Apple has responded with changes to the lightning cable sync rules.

"To improve security, for a locked iOS device to communicate with USB accessories you must connect an accessory via Lightning connector to the device while unlocked — or enter your device passcode while connected — at least once a week," reads Apple documentation highlighted by security firm ElcomSoft. The feature actually made an appearance in iOS 11.3 betas, but like AirPlay 2 was removed from the finished code.

The change blocks use of the Lightning port for anything but charging if a device is left untouched for seven days. An iPhone or iPad will even refuse to sync with computer running iTunes until iOS is unlocked with a passcode.

Personally, I'd prefer a mode where the lightning port is unusable unless the phone is unlocked at the time of connection. Once a week is seven days too long. Make it a setting that I can change.

In our modern age, our phones and devices ARE our "persons, houses, papers and effects". Law enforcement and the courts have tried to play a game with this issue and pretend that our smartphones are some sort of exception to this. I think the courts need to come down hard on the state over this. I'm not unlocking my phone without a warrant. 

BTW, powering your phone off would be the smart thing to do if the law shows up - that way they can't make you unlock it with a fingerprint. Or just disable Touch ID.

I don't like the idea of mobsters, drug runners, creeps and terrorists being able to hide their misdeeds, but if that's the price of keeping the government out of my personal data, I'm willing to pay it. Unethical prosecutors make any trust in the justice system unwarranted. We've seen cops and courts come after people for sport, money or political reasons. The Bill of Rights exists precisely because of this potential for abuse. It's time to bring our personal technology under the Constitution's protection.