Apple Officially Going to War Against Jailbreaking

By Ji@nBing
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Grand Master

Ji@nBing

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iphone-unlocked.jpg

Apple is officially in the market for a new top cop on their jailbreak police force. With the booming business that is jailbreaking only growing bigger by the day, Apple is planning to seriously crack down on the ease with which hackers exploit the iPhone platform and modify their devices' operating systems.

And Apple isn't making any secret of its intentions. In fact, a new position is posted for all to see on the company's website. They are hoping in the very near future to fill the position of "iPhone OS Platform Security Manager" - aka, a jailbreak cop.

Apple Insider reports that "The company is looking for someone to oversee its team which ensures secure booting and installation of the iPhone OS and protecting and hardening it against outside threats."

"It's not clear whether the position is new, or if Apple is looking to replace someone on an existing team. The Santa Clara Valley job was posted on Oct. 16, 2009."

It seems plausible that this is an entirely new position altogether at the company, as Apple is likely surprised with how easily and readily the iPhone is being jailbroken by more users than they can possibly imagine. Consequently, the obvious purpose of this position is to invent and erect as many barriers to jailbreaking as possible.

Sounds like Apple is really going to war with jailbreakers this time.

"It has been a long back-and-forth battle between Apple and hackers since the iPhone debuted in 2007. While those working to crack the phone have, until now, been able to maintain their ability to run unauthorized code, Apple, at the moment, appears to have the upper hand. The most recently updated iPhone 3GS, released mid-cycle in October, requires what is known as a "tethered jailbreak," meaning that the iPhone must be attached to a computer via USB and have a hack applied each time it is restarted."

Source

If Apple does end up stopping jailbreaking, you can bet a ton of people will just end up moving over to Android. Apple are only hurting themselves by doing this. I, for one, would drop my iPod Touch like it's a hot potato.

Grand Master

Green_Eye

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If Apple does end up stopping jailbreaking, you can bet a ton of people will just end up moving over to Android. Apple are only hurting themselves by doing this. I, for one, would drop my iPod Touch like it's a hot potato.

Agreed 100%. they are only shooting themselves in the foot. I too would ditch my Ipod Touch.

Grand Master

The_Decryptor Veteran

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Jailbreaking only accounts for a very small percentage of the actual userbase of iPhone/iPod Touch owners.

So, no, it wouldn't be a "ton" of people, a few thousand (at the high end of the guesses) maybe but with millions of iPhone/iPod users, that doesn't mean much

Grand Master

SimplySchizo

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requires what is known as a "tethered jailbreak," meaning that the iPhone must be attached to a computer via USB and have a hack applied each time it is restarted."

this is a thing of the past.

also with geohots recent release of blacksn0w, one can run any ipcc with internet tethering enabled as well without any need for anything to be reapplied on restart.

Grand Master

Ji@nBing

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Jailbreaking only accounts for a very small percentage of the actual userbase of iPhone/iPod Touch owners.

So, no, it wouldn't be a "ton" of people, a few thousand (at the high end of the guesses) maybe but with millions of iPhone/iPod users, that doesn't mean much

Everyone I know that has one has jailbroken. On my local Craigslist and used site, most of the iPhones and iPod Touches for sale are jailbroken. So yeah, a few thousand, maybe in my city alone :p. I think you're greatly underestimating how many jailbroken devices are out there. It may not be the majority, but it's a large number. If it was just a few thousand, Apple wouldn't go to the trouble of doing this. It wouldn't be worth it.

Grand Master

(Spork)

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lol that will be 1000's of iphone's if not millions hell just about EVERY one i know have one and there kids most of the people i work with have iphones 99 % are JAILBROKEN

way to kick your self in a ass apple

Edited by (Spork)
Grand Master

carmatic

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yeah. apple should be glad these people are buying iphones altogether. It's not their fault others are cracking their iphones so at&t can't hold them responsible for it. This is a cirumstance where apple can have their pie and eat it.

maybe AT&T is the reason theyre doing this... like maybe they pay apple not just for every iphone sold, but also from any money made from the iphone users...

or maybe this wouldnt have happened if that hacker didnt break into phones where the terminal password was not changed?

Grand Master

techbeck

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Funny that on the radio this morning, Verizon had an android ad. They called iPhones "arrogant little devices". Got a good chuckle out of that..haha

I love my android and will get another one when this one breaks or I decide to get a new phone. Plus the fact that more and more providers are getting android phones, well...I have lots of options.

Grand Master

PL_ Veteran

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I'm surprised. I can't see how it'd affect them, in my mind it's the same as replacing Mac OS X with something else. Maybe they're concerned about piracy of apps.

If Apple does end up stopping jailbreaking, you can bet a ton of people will just end up moving over to Android. Apple are only hurting themselves by doing this. I, for one, would drop my iPod Touch like it's a hot potato.

It sounds like you don't think they've tried already.

Grand Master

Nicholas-c Veteran

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Why not just change the password at Apple from 'alpine' to something else?

Surely that is all it takes to make it secure?

I think the 'Root' and 'alpine' is set by installing openssh not by apple.

Besides, Jailbreaking is a serious business, If apple controlled it and changed the password it would be cracked within 5 mins again.

Grand Master

techbeck

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I'm surprised. I can't see how it'd affect them, in my mind it's the same as replacing Mac OS X with something else. Maybe they're concerned about piracy of apps.

It sounds like you don't think they've tried already.

If Apple was concerned about piracy, then they would secure OSX. You can install OSX on several systems without a key and it will work...unlike MS where once you use their key, you cannot use on another system.

Grand Master

techbeck

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He didn't say anything about pirating OS X, he's talking about pirating apps from the app store (something which jailbreaking allows)

Yea, I know what he said...I can read. Was commenting that if they were that concerned about about pirating...they would secure their own apps. Used OSX as an example.

Grand Master

Edrick Smith

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Personally I jailedbreaked my phone the other day and quite honestly don't find any use for it. Figured I'd give it a go to see how it was and don't find anything amazing about it. Anyone have recommendations for stuff to install?

Grand Master

Ricardo Gil

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I had my iPod jailbroken before the App store existed, now I don't see the need to do it anymore.

In fact, everyone I know with jailbroken iPhones and iPods only do it to get free games and apps, not for the homebrew aspect of it.

Grand Master

Elliott

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Personally I jailedbreaked my phone the other day and quite honestly don't find any use for it. Figured I'd give it a go to see how it was and don't find anything amazing about it. Anyone have recommendations for stuff to install?

I got the same feeling when I jailbreaked my phone.

I understand why Apple is doing this though. If they can't control the platform at least fairly well, the carriers are going to start asking questions (if they aren't already).

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