CBA Record November-December 2022

The movement away from passwords is an effort to combat phishing attacks, mal ware, and other efforts in which scammers try to take control of accounts. It strikes me as a step in the right direction, as pass words are as cumbersome to remember and manage as they are prone to weak ness. That said, scammers are constantly adapting to new playing fields. We’ll have to see what countermoves this produces. On a small but related note, FaceID will now work when you hold your phone horizontally as well instead of just verti cally. Another new security feature called Safety Check offers a quick way to reset all data and location access you’ve granted to apps and other people. Safety Check includes two options: Emergency Reset and Manage Sharing & Access. • Emergency Reset stops all informa tion sharing with people and apps. This is a great feature, for example, for that hypothetical client involved in a contentious divorce with an abusive spouse. Emergency Reset ensures no one else is accessing their data. • Manage Sharing & Access allows you to see what data is being shared with whom and offers more tailored options to stop it rather than resetting entirely. The update also offers something called Lockdown Mode; an extreme security setting geared towards people who are likely to be targets of harassment. The setting significantly limits many fea tures when it’s enabled but helps to prevent unwanted contact. If you are the target of such attacks, this might be valuable. The update offers more new features, but these are the ones I find most directly relevant to lawyers. Overall, it’s good to see some serious steps taken towards increasing security, although some over sights remain.

LPMT BITS & BYTES BY ANNE HAAG New iOS Update: Key Takeaways for Lawyers

I n September Apple launched the big gest overhaul to its operating system in years for iPhones and smartwatches, with updates to design, security, and privacy features. By now, we assume that readers using Apple devices are getting accustomed to the new features included in iOS 16 (and watchOS 9). As always, keeping your system up to date is a secu rity imperative. If you haven’t installed it yet, be aware that updates are always free for Apple users. If you are prompted to pay for an update, it’s a scam. Scammers keep getting more creative – there have been reports about scams related to this, so be aware. What’s included in this update? The first thing you’ll notice are changes to the lock screen. You’ll also see that you have more personalization options (text color, what displays on your lock screen, and so on). Notifications display differently, in groupings at the bottom of the screen instead of the top. You can tie multiple lock screens to Focus settings, meaning you can have separate screens for work and non-work hours by blocking notifica tions from work contacts or apps during time designated as personal. This is a useful tool that lawyers can use to pro mote greater work/life balance. A few changes to the functionality of iMessages have important implica tions for lawyers as well. First, you can now mark messages as unread so you can return to them later. This is a great fea ture for people who might open a message but get sidetracked before being able to

respond. You can also now unsend or edit an iMes sage within the first 15 minutes of having sent it. I’m not a fan of this change, as I think it has dangerous implications and opens the door for abuse. For example, if a client is going through a conten tious divorce with an abusive spouse, that spouse could now edit or unsend threatening messages to your client to intimidate them. If you represent clients who might be impacted by this feature, you might want to warn them and advise them to screenshot messages as soon as they see them. Apple Mail has also integrated a few new features. Users can recall a sent email within 10 seconds of sending it. This window may not seem like much, but it compares to similar offerings in Gmail and can be a lifesaver (if, of course, you notice an embarrassing typo or mistake within 10 seconds). In addition, mail will now give you a warning before sending if you have forgotten to attach something or include a recipient. Regarding security, a big change is part of Apple’s ongoing effort to move away from passwords and towards more secure (in theory) forms of authentica tion. Instead of entering a password when you sign into websites, apps, or services on your iPhone, you will now be able to authenticate using your face or finger print in the same way that you unlock your phone. These passkeys will be saved using iCloud Keychain and can be recov ered if you lose or damage your phone.

Anne Haag is the CBA’s Law Practice Management Advisor, a certified crisis interventioncounselor, andavolunteerwithResilienceasa trauma informed ER advocate for sexual assault survivors.

40 November/December 2022