“Lockdown mode blocked focus sharing” notification appearing constantly at random whenever sending texts.

I'm having the same Exact issue. I'm in lockdown mode and I too, have received several notifications stating that My Focus won't be shared while in lockdown mode.

I also Have Never Used Focus. ever. Not Once. And sharing with who? or which focus...? I cannot for the life of me..figure any of this out...

I've been having a lot of issues with my phone lately...concerning security and privacy, so that is the reason I was told, or it was suggested, I should say, that I turn on Lockdown mode.

I just would love to figure this out. It's concerning and unsettling, like you said, especially with everything else that has been happening with My phone lately.

Any input on this would be grately appreciated. Thank you in advance.

I have the very same concern and question. Picture this: You have a stalker. You turn on lockdown mode because the hairs on your neck are raised that something isn't right. Then, once lockdown mode is on, the notification "Lockdown mode has blocked focus sharing" happens only when the stalker imessages. It happens right before the message comes through, it happens again when the message is delivered. I too, have focus sharing OFF and Lockdown mode on. The fact that this notification only comes up when stalker messages, leads me to believe she's trying hard to hack into my phone in some manner.

austin0000 - Pegasus is the only thing I have come up with as well and at this point? I'll be getting a new phone with a new number, yet again.

Settings > Focus > Focus Status > Off

or

Settings > Privacy & Security > Lockdown Mode > Off

Targets of tooling such as Pegasus—vanishingly few of the billions of us are targets, as far as we know—are best silent or circumspect, and best enlist direct assistance with security and with data and device management practices. Mistakes are hazardous to associates and to self, among those that are targets.

Pegasus is the only threat I can find that attacks your phone without physically clicking a link. What other attacks are there that may trigger this lockdown notification just by being sent a message?

The same happens to me. And to the person saying take off lockdown mode, absolutely not. My devices were placed under device management without my knowledge for a long time. This was before Apple caught on that device management can be added to someone phone without them needing to click something. The persons involved drained me of a lot of money utilizing student loans and credit cards. I’m still fighting a 50,000 loan that was signed using my device and my Wi-Fi, but the ONLY saving grace that I have, is that I was not in that I wasn’t actually at home when it was signed. I and the phone was physically 4 hours away and I have proof. And legally still fighting over 40k in student loans.

The only help I can give is to make sure that in messages (go into settings ~> messages ~> turn off focus), go into focus and recheck the settings to make sure it’s off (toggle off and on), and then send iMessages from your phone number only. This slowed down how many times I was getting the notification.

I realize I only get it when my phone is on silence. However I did get it this morning and nothing was sent or received, and I didn’t miss a call, soooo it has me curious as to why it would say that. So, I’m hoping Apple has some input to this also.

That seems rather more like identity theft, which is unfortunately fairly common.

And is not tied to profiles.

Establishing a credit freeze is a typical general recommendation, but widely ignored.

https://krebsonsecurity.com/2018/09/credit-freezes-are-free-let-the-ice-age-begin/

austin0000 wrote:

Another member commented on the same topic linked above & authored by myself, stated that he experienced the same issue and it may have had a connection to that users phone being infected with Pegasus Spyware verified by a digital forensic analysis.

Don't believe what you see on the internet.

why can’t I find anything on this anywhere?

Anything on what? Are you saying you can't find anything on the internet about Pegasus spyware? Talk about not believing what is seen on the internet! 😄

why does apple not have anything on it?

Anything on what?

And would it be possible for Pegasus/other mercenary spywares and/or malwares to exploit iPhones notification connection to your phone (specifically the one regarding focusing sharing in your messages) in attempts to gain some sort of unauthorized access to your messages or other parts of your system?

No.

Only reason I ask and initially considered it plausible is because I read somewhere that part of Pegasuses MO was to exploit a notification API granting it “zero-click” infection capabilities….

Again, don't believe what you read on the internet. It's not true.

any experienced iOS peeps out there or maybe even Apple peeps who might have anything to share on this topic?

Don't believe what you read on the internet.

lockdown mode is always on, focuses have NEVER been used EVER, privacy security settings configured to NOT share focus status IF one was set up, yet these notifications (see pic) pop up 12x a day at random whenever receiving or sending iMessages sometimes in pairs of up to 3 at the same time… very annoying and very unsettling

Then turn it off: Use Focus on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

I’m in lockdown mode for a reason.

You're in lockdown mode because you believe what you've been told on the internet.

Ifeellostandbroken wrote:

I'm having the same Exact issue. I'm in lockdown mode and I too, have received several notifications stating that My Focus won't be shared while in lockdown mode.

Log feedback with Apple.

… Product Feedback - Apple

Then turn off lockdown mode, as—inferring from your stated priorities here—you don’t need lockdown mode.

… About Lockdown Mode - Apple Support

It was hexnode mobile device management that was on my phone. They were deleting settings off the phone, so when the Apple manager looked at the phone, half the settings were gone.

If you have reason to use Lockdown mode, then working around its restrictions is counterproductive.

Blocking potential vulnerabilities and making as-yet-unidentified exploits more difficult to create is at the core of Lockdown mode.

If Lockdown mode blocks something you want to use, you have three choices: stop using Lockdown mode, stop using whatever is getting blocked, or send Apple feedback to reconsider and to unblock whatever it is that you want to use here and to potentially increase the direct risk of exploitation for all users of Lockdown.

Is Apple going to document the details of the risks here? No. That would be inadvisable.

Your request implies you don't actually believe you're a target for exploitation tools, too.

MrHoffman wrote:

Your request implies you don't actually believe you're a target for exploitation tools, too.

Correction: your request could be inferred to mean you don't actually believe you're a target...

Nunya101 wrote:

Picture this: You have a stalker…

Hypothetically…

If Pegasus is a serious consideration among your potential threats, then you need far better sources of security information and technical assistance than will be acquired around here.

Because there are easier and cheaper and much more direct security attacks, and that’s not at all hypothetical.

Nunya101 wrote:

Pegasus is the only threat I can find that attacks your phone without physically clicking a link. What other attacks are there that may trigger this lockdown notification just by being sent a message?

You wrote “Picture this”, which is a hypothetical. I replied with a hypothetical, for your hypothetical. And hypothetically, a stalker with access to Pegasus or ilk puts you well outside of norms and expectations for folks around here.

If you have a stalker, contact local police.

As an actual target for Pegasus or one of the other similar exploit tools, you will need vastly better security advice than you will obtain around here, and I would strongly suggest you immediately cease using your iPhone and all similar devices pending a complete overhaul of your entire security.

That written, and absent evidence you’re a target of a very wealthy and powerful entity (displeased any governments lately?), I doubt this is Pegasus or ilk, and that this is anything other than an innocuous issue with Lockdown; that this seemingly one of the issues that Apple indicated would arise with Lockdown.

If y’all are rather less than a likely target for Pegasus or ilk—vanishingly few folks out of the billion or so with iPhone or iPad are targets—you’ll want to review the following: Personal Safety User Guide - Apple Support

Lockdown is easy, but it’s not how most folks get breached.