Remember when recording a phone call on your iPhone felt like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded?

Well, those days are officially over. With the release of iOS 18.1, Apple has introduced a native call recording feature as part of Apple Intelligence.

This new functionality makes it easier than ever to document important conversations. Let’s take a closer look at how this feature is changing the game for recording calls on our iPhones.

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The legal lowdown

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of how to use this feature, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: legality. Recording phone calls can be a bit of a legal minefield, and the last thing you want is to end up on the wrong side of the law. Laws vary by state, so it’s crucial to do your homework and make sure you’re playing by the rules in your area. Remember, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Man recording a phone call on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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What you’ll need to record calls on iPhone

Now that we’ve got the legal stuff out of the way, let’s talk about what you need to get started:

• An iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 16 or iPhone XS (or newer model)
• iOS 18.1 or later installed on your device

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How to update your iPhone to the latest software

Not sure if you’re running the latest iOS? No worries! Here are some quick steps to update your iPhone:

• Open Settings
• Tap General
• Select Software Update
• If available, tap Update Now and begin downloading and installing iOS 18.1

Steps to update your iPhone to the latest software (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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How to record a call on your iPhone

Now, let’s get to the fun part, actually recording a call. Here’s how it works:

• Start or answer a phone call like you normally would.
• Look for the new recording icon in the upper-left corner of the call screen.
• Tap that icon to start recording.
• You’ll hear a countdown from three seconds, followed by an audio message saying, “This Call Will Be Recorded.”
• A notification will pop up to let everyone on the call know that it’s being recorded.
• After the recording begins, a Notes notification will appear at the top of the screen to alert you that a new note has been created for this transcript.
• Hit the stop button to end the call at any time, you’ll hear another message saying, “This call is no longer being recorded.”

Steps to record a call on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

How to access your recording

After successfully recording your call, follow these steps to access and manage your recording:

• Look for a notification from the Notes app pointing you to the audio file and transcript.
• Tap the notification to open the recording directly in Notes or open the Notes app later to review.
• In the Notes app, find your recordings in a new folder called Call Recordings.
• Tap the note to review the transcript. Here you can: 1) Listen to the audio from the beginning by hitting Play; 2) Scroll down and tap within the transcript to start playback from a specific point; 3) Tap a sentence to start playback from there; 4) Pause playback at any time by tapping the play button.

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Steps to access recording (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

How to add a copy of the transcript to the note for editing

• Tap the menu button
• Select Add Transcript to Note
• Edit the transcript as needed, such as highlighting important sentences
• Share the recording by clicking the send button
• Tap Done

Steps to add a copy of the transcript to the note for editing (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Remember, you can always return to these recordings in the Notes app to review, edit or share as needed.

Kurt’s key takeaways

Whether you’re conducting interviews, keeping records for research or just want to remember important details from a conversation, it’s never been easier to record calls on your iPhone. However, with great power comes great responsibility. Always make sure you have the consent of all parties before recording a call and use this feature ethically and legally.

So, what do you think about this new feature? Are you excited to try it out? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

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A new “Share to TikTok” feature in Spotify and Apple Music is making it easier for users to share songs, playlists, audiobooks, and more directly in content on the video platform.

Using the integrations, TikTok users can create a direct link to content on the streaming platforms, similar to how they can share songs directly on Instagram Stories. When a user shares a Spotify track, for example, they can choose whether the song will appear as a video, photo, or Story post on TikTok. Viewers of the content can then click the song and navigate directly back to their preferred music app.

It creates an easy link between TikTok and content on other platforms — previously if you wanted to share a playlist you made, you’d have to send a link via messages or drop the link in comments or a caption. TikTok doesn’t make it easy to navigate outside the app: even if you copy and paste a link in comment, it’s not clickable.

TikTok has become a major way audiences discover new music, and the platform has introduced other integrations that better connect the two worlds. Last year, TikTok added the ability to save songs directly from the app without leaving and going to Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. (Spotify today also announced this capability for Instagram.)

Data theft and ransomware attacks against health care and critical third-party providers are still happening at an alarmingly high rate in 2024, which is shaping up to be as severe as last year, the worst on record for health care breaches. 

You might remember the Ascension ransomware attack from May, one of the most devastating incidents in the health care sector, causing major issues for patients. 

A new report from Microsoft highlights that these attacks not only lead to data theft but also put patients’ physical health at risk.

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Impact of ransomware on health care

Microsoft points out that beyond the financial risk to health care organizations, ransomware attacks can have life-threatening consequences. When health care providers lose access to diagnostic equipment or patient records due to ransomware, patient care is severely disrupted. For example, stroke code activations are nearly double during hospital attacks, with confirmed strokes increasing by 113.6%, and cardiac arrest cases rise by 81% and survival rates drop from 40% to just 4.5%.

Health care facilities near hospitals hit by ransomware attacks also feel the impact, facing a surge in patients needing urgent care that they may not be equipped to handle. As a result, patients often face longer wait times.

What’s more troubling is that these attacks aren’t limited to urban areas. Rural health clinics are also prime targets for cyberattacks. These facilities are particularly vulnerable to ransomware because they often lack the resources to prevent or respond to security incidents. And since these clinics are the only health care option within miles, a successful attack can be devastating for many rural communities.

Mother, daughter and doctor walking in a hospital (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Why health care is the prime target?

Ransomware attacks on health care have shot up 300% since 2015, making it one of the top 10 most targeted industries in the second quarter of 2024. This rise is mostly because health care organizations store extremely sensitive data, and hackers know there’s big money to be made. With lives on the line, hospitals can’t risk poor patient outcomes if their systems go down or the exposure of patient data if they don’t pay. This reputation for paying ransoms just makes health care an even bigger target.

Some of the blame also falls on health care organizations. They tend to have lower cybersecurity budgets compared to other industries, making it harder to defend against these kinds of attacks. Many facilities don’t have staff dedicated to cybersecurity; some don’t even have a chief information security officer or a security operations center. Instead, cybersecurity often gets lumped in with regular IT duties. Plus, doctors, nurses and other health care staff might not get any cybersecurity training, so they might not even recognize a phishing email when they see one.

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Emergency sign at the entrance of a hospital’s emergency room (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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7 proactive steps to take in the face of health care cyberattacks

With the rise in cyberattacks on health care providers, it’s wise to take proactive steps to protect your personal information and be prepared for potential disruptions in health care services:

1. Stay informed: Keep up to date with the latest news from your health care providers and reliable sources to stay aware of any disruptions or data breaches affecting systems and services.

2. Maintain personal health records: Keep copies of your health records on your own devices or printed out, including details like medications, allergies, past surgeries and other relevant health information. This can be crucial if electronic health records become temporarily unavailable.

3. Prepare for medical emergencies: Have a backup plan for emergencies, including knowing nearby alternative health care facilities. Research wait times and accessibility to help avoid delays if your primary facility is impacted.

4. Practice cybersecurity best practices: Use strong, unique passwords for online accounts and consider a password manager to help manage them. Enable two-factor authentication where available to add an extra layer of security.

5. Be vigilant against phishing: Cyberattacks often result in a spike in phishing emails and calls as attackers exploit the situation. Protect yourself by using strong antivirus software on all your devices, which can help block malicious links and detect phishing emails. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.

6. Confirm appointments: If you have upcoming appointments or procedures, contact your health care provider to confirm or reschedule if a cyberattack disrupts their normal operations.

7. Monitor patient portals: Keep an eye on patient portals like MyChart for updates on your medical records and communication with health care providers, as these can provide critical information during service disruptions.

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Kurt’s key takeaway

The surge in ransomware attacks on the health care industry is troubling and a harsh reminder that criminals don’t care about the lives at risk. They’re just after money. Health care organizations need to take lessons from the past two years, investing heavily in cybersecurity infrastructure and hiring dedicated staff to protect patient data and systems. With stronger defenses in place, the goal is to prevent these situations from reaching the point where paying a ransom is even considered.

Have you ever experienced delays or issues with health care services due to a cyberattack or system outage? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover.

Follow Kurt on his social channels:

Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:

New from Kurt:

Copyright 2024 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.