FBI Stymied by Apple's Lockdown Mode After Seizing Journalist's iPhone

Agents able to access reporter's work laptop by having her unlock it with fingerprint

Feb. 4, 2026 at 5:47pm

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The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been unable to access data from a Washington Post reporter's iPhone because it was protected by Apple's Lockdown Mode when agents seized the device from the reporter's home. However, FBI agents were able to access the reporter's work laptop by having her place her index finger on the MacBook Pro's fingerprint reader.

Why it matters

This case highlights the growing tension between law enforcement's need to access digital evidence and tech companies' efforts to protect user privacy, especially for journalists who rely on encrypted communications to protect their sources. Apple's Lockdown Mode is designed to thwart even sophisticated hacking attempts, posing a challenge for investigators.

The details

As part of an investigation into a Pentagon contractor accused of illegally leaking classified data, FBI agents executed a search warrant at the Virginia home of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson. They seized her iPhone 13, two MacBook Pros, a portable hard drive, a voice recorder, and a smartwatch. While agents were able to view some of Natanson's Signal messages on her work laptop after having her unlock it with her fingerprint, they have been unable to access the data on her iPhone due to Lockdown Mode.

  • On January 14, FBI agents executed the search warrant at Natanson's home.
  • The seized devices were taken to the FBI's Washington field office, where the Computer Analysis Response Team began processing them.

The players

Hannah Natanson

A Washington Post reporter whose home was searched by the FBI as part of an investigation into a Pentagon contractor accused of illegally leaking classified data.

Apple

The technology company that developed Lockdown Mode, a security feature designed to protect user data from even sophisticated hacking attempts.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

The U.S. federal law enforcement agency that executed the search warrant at Natanson's home and seized her electronic devices as part of an investigation.

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What’s next

The Justice Department has filed a court filing opposing a motion by the Washington Post and Natanson to have the seized devices returned. A federal magistrate judge previously issued a standstill order telling the government to stop searching the devices until the court rules on whether they must be returned.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tension between law enforcement's need to access digital evidence and tech companies' efforts to protect user privacy, especially for journalists who rely on encrypted communications to protect their sources. Apple's Lockdown Mode has proven to be an effective deterrent against even sophisticated hacking attempts, posing a challenge for investigators.