Apple’s iPhone 17 introduces a new security feature designed to shield crypto users from sophisticated attacks targeting wallets and Passkey approvals.
The system, called Memory Integrity Enforcement (MIE), operates at the hardware level and is enabled by default, providing an extra layer of defence against memory-based exploits that have historically threatened digital assets.
MIE leverages Enhanced Memory Tagging Extension (EMTE)-style memory tagging to identify and block unsafe memory operations, including out-of-bounds access and use-after-free errors.
These types of vulnerabilities account for nearly 70% of software flaws and are frequently exploited in zero-day attacks aimed at wallets and signing operations.
Hacken, a cybersecurity firm, told Cointelegraph that the new MIE system significantly lowers the risk of attackers exploiting memory-corruption zero-days to hijack signing code.
The firm added that this improvement is particularly beneficial for crypto users who frequently sign transactions or hold substantial assets.
The system actively monitors memory access patterns across both kernel and user-level processes.
By doing so, it makes the development of spyware and targeted exploits significantly more difficult and expensive, directly benefiting wallet apps and in-process signing operations.
With smartphones increasingly central to financial activity, attackers are motivated to exploit any vulnerabilities that could give them access to private keys or asset approval processes.
Last year, Trust Wallet warned Apple users to disable iMessage due to a high-risk zero-day exploit circulating on the Dark Web.
Earlier this year, Kaspersky highlighted that malicious software development kits in apps were scanning photo galleries for wallet recovery phrases.
These risks highlight the growing need for robust device-level protection.
Apple’s MIE system addresses one of the most common attack vectors—memory corruption—by halting exploit chains before they can compromise wallet operations.
Apple integrates MIE into the A19 chip, ensuring memory protections run continuously without affecting performance.
The system assigns unique tags to memory blocks, rejecting any access that does not match expected patterns.
Apple’s Security Engineering and Architecture team confirmed that wallet signing operations are a major target for attackers because unauthorized access can drain funds in seconds.
With MIE, these processes are significantly harder to compromise.
Developers can also access these protections through Xcode’s Enhanced Security setting, enabling third-party wallet apps to benefit from the same memory safety measures.
Hacken noted,
“It raises the bar for attackers and makes targeted spyware/exploit development much harder and more expensive. That directly benefits wallet apps and Passkey flows that rely on in-process operations.”
While MIE addresses memory-corruption attacks, it does not protect against phishing, social engineering, malicious web content, or compromised apps.
Apple users still need to maintain secure practices, including the use of hardware wallets and cautious online behaviour.
Hacken added,
“Security improvements reduce overall risk but don’t make devices invulnerable. Users should remain vigilant and expect new vulnerabilities.”
By combining hardware-level memory protections with continuous monitoring, Apple’s iPhone 17 aims to make wallet signing safer and more resilient against sophisticated spyware.
This enhancement comes as attackers grow more inventive and the stakes for digital asset security continue to rise.
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