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Comment by vntok | Hacker News Reader

> iPhone detects I’m in an unusual location (I’m not, vpn)

VPN literally moves your phone to an unusual location, for all intents and purposes.

no, it doesn't? It changes your publicly visible IP. Your GPS data still shows you in the original location. Your wifi localisation and 5g antennas would still be in the original location. It'd also be _trivially easy_ for the OS to know that the user is behind a VPN, given the only way to do so is through APIs dedicated to VPN use.

That's not true at all. Phones geolocate themselves using satellites, cell towers, and WiFi access points.

So I’m supposed to go into lockdown every single time? Fine, but don’t lock me out with FaceID so I can override it at least.

Apple needs to revisit that feature because that lockout could have happened at a critical time.

What were the visible indicators that the phone had entered lockdown mode? It usually requires user consent, followed by reboot.

iOS Lockdown Mode does not usually constrain the method of unlocking the phone.

Maybe I’m crazy? If you have an iPhone, enable faceid and put it into lockdown mode manually (I just remember it happening automatically).

Tell me how you get out of lockdown mode.

My iOS devices are in lockdown mode 99% of the time. To disable lockdown mode, go into Settings > Privacy > Lockdown Mode, it offers the option to "Turn Off and Restart", then asks for a passcode.

The behavior being described sounds a bit like malware. If it happens again, the best option is to Force Restart (VolUp, VolDown, hold side button until the device reboots), which cannot be intercepted by any apps which might be trying to simulate iOS system prompts.

It moves your IP address to an unusual location. I highly doubt that it changes your GPS coordinates, nearby wifi, cell towers, etc that can be used in location detection.

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