USB Restricted Mode is a security feature introduced in iOS 11.4.1 that safeguards data on iPhones and iPads from unauthorized access through USB connections using the USB-C or Lightning port (see “USB Restricted Mode Can Block iOS Device Charging,” 6 August 2018). When enabled, USB Restricted Mode prevents USB accessories from connecting to a device that has been locked for over an hour, thereby protecting against potential exploits when a device is accessed physically while the owner is absent.
While this fix is crucial, given its use against “specific targeted individuals,” likely as part of spyware like NSO Group’s Pegasus, everyday users are highly unlikely to be targeted. In other words, while activists, journalists, and those with access to highly sensitive corporate or government information should update promptly, the rest of us can feel free to install these updates at our convenience.
Could be something else, but I’m thinking I should have taken a pass – or at least waited longer – for the bugs in the bug fix to be identified and shaken out. Since installing, my iOS/iPad mail client, Spark, no longer functions. Although Spark’s AI support bot states that there is no issue with the update, that was the only change, and I have no issues with either my desktop client, webmail, or even Apple’s own Mail app (which I continue to detest).
I’ve used a new Crucial 4T drive as a Time Machine backup for my 1 Tb M1 MacBook Pro since late December. I’d formatted the drive as APFS Encrypted w/ GUID using Disk Utility and it’s been backing up daily. About a week ago, not long after an update to Sequoia 15.3.1, the drive ceased to mount. I checked it with Disk First Aid and it reported no issues with the root drive, but the Container Disk and the APFS volume both showed i/o object map errors.
I reformatted the drive, again as APFS Encrypted, and the newly formatted drive showed no errors, but after two days and three Time Machine backups, the old errors were back. I contacted Crucial support and was told that this was a reported problem with a number of drives from various manufacturers after the 15.3.1 update, and they recommended reformatting the drive as exFAT or HFS+ until Apple releases a fix. Here’s hoping it happens soon! So far I’m OK, I have other backups, but I’m sure someone is having a catastrophic day somewhere because of this!