Apple Platform Security
- Welcome
- Intro to Apple platform security
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- System security overview
- Signed system volume security
- Secure software updates
- Rapid Security Responses
- Operating system integrity
- BlastDoor for Messages and IDS
- Lockdown Mode security
- System security for watchOS
- Random number generation
- Apple Security Research Device
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- Services security overview
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- Apple Pay security overview
- Apple Pay component security
- How Apple Pay keeps users’ purchases protected
- Payment authorization with Apple Pay
- Paying with cards using Apple Pay
- Contactless passes in Apple Pay
- Rendering cards unusable with Apple Pay
- Apple Card security
- Apple Cash security
- Tap to Pay on iPhone
- Secure Apple Messages for Business
- FaceTime security
- Glossary
- Document revision history
- Copyright
Wi-Fi security with Apple devices
Apple devices have features designed to help devices maintain secure Wi-Fi connections.
Auto-join
In order to enhance user security, open and captive portal networks are not auto-joined if they haven’t been joined within the past two weeks. For more information about auto-join policies, see the Apple Support article How iOS, iPadOS, and macOS decide which wireless network to auto-join.
Opportunistic Wireless Encryption
Opportunistic Wireless Encryption (OWE), was introduced in an effort to improve security on open networks encrypting the air model to prevent traffic snooping and other related attacks. It provides protection against passive surveillance by encrypting over-the-air traffic on unauthenticated networks. Support was added on the following devices with iOS 16, iPadOS 16.1, macOS 13, tvOS 16, or later:
All iPhone models starting with iPhone 11 or later
All iPad models from late 2020 or later
All Mac computers from late 2020 or later
All Apple TV models starting with Apple TV 4K (1st generation) or later
Personal Hotspot and Internet Sharing security
By default, all Apple platforms provide a system-suggested, default secure & random password for access point modes (Personal Hotspot and Internet Sharing).
Personal Hotspot on iOS and iPadOS support:
WPA2/WPA3 Personal Security (default)
WPA2 Personal (if maximize compatibility switch is enabled)
Personal Hotspot on macOS supports:
WPA2/WPA3 Personal Security (default)
WPA3 Personal
Maximize Compatibility Mode
On iPhone 12 or later, users can turn on Maximize Compatibility Mode for Personal Hotspot. For compatibility with client devices, Maximize Compatibility Mode does the following:
Disables 5GHz (and, if applicable, 6GHz)
Restricts the device to the use of only 2.4GHz
Enforces a WPA2 Personal Security Mode