Book Image

Learning iOS Security

Book Image

Learning iOS Security

Overview of this book

Table of Contents (13 chapters)

Single App mode, App Lock, and Guided Access


When devices are made to work a shared-usage model, for example, many nurses using the same iPad during shifts at a hospital, one method to restrict access and standardize the experience would be to lock the device to a single app. This is referred to by different names based on how it is initiated, and it can be achieved with the tools that we will discuss in future chapters. The device shows only the designated app and never goes to the home screen (also referred to internally as the Springboard). The Home button is essentially disabled and Control Center (which is accessed by swiping up from the bottom edge of an iOS device) is also not accessible. This can also enable a kiosk-type experience, where the device is protected from misuse by dictating that only a single app can run.

In recent releases of iOS, developers have been granted APIs to enable app lock when they enter a certain state within the app or until a specific requirement is met...