Over at his official Twitter account, iPhone hacker Comex is airing some heady suspicions about Apple’s latest strategy in the cat-and-mouse jailbreak game. The talented hacker behind the Spirit and JailbreakMe 2.0 exploits is suggesting that Apple might have a spy within the iPhone Dev Team itself, allowing Cupertino to close exploits in their iOS software before the Dev Team can release a working jailbreak with them.
Here’s Comex’s rationale. At any given time, the Dev Team might have a number of possible jailbreak exploits ready to deploy when new Apple firmware drops. The idea is to make sure that Apple only has the information necessary to close currently released jailbreaks. By keeping some jailbreak exploits secret and in reserve, the Dev Team can be reasonably sure that Apple won’t patch them with a new iOS update, which gives the Dev Team a head start on releasing a jailbreak when the next firmware hits.
According to Comex, he was keeping just such an exploit in reserve, one that had been present from iOS 4.0.2 all the way through iOS 4.3. When iOS 4.3.1 dropped, though, the exploit had been miraculously closed by Apple… just as Comex was preparing to deploy it.
“I try not to be paranoid, but it is really hard to explain this as anything but a leak,” Comex said on his Twitter account.
Of course, it might not be a leak, which even Comex admits: a few minutes later, Comex was quick to retweet a follower’s observation that it was always possible that someone at Apple found the exploit on their own and fixed it. Stranger things have certainly happened. One thing’s for sure, though: given how determined Apple is to keep iPhones locked down, that the battle over jailbreak might get to the point of spies and counter-intelligence isn’t entirely unlikely. It’s just a new front in a war between Apple and the hackers that has been escalating for quite some time.
John Brownlee is a writer for Fast Company, and a contributing writer here at CoM. He has also written for Wired, Playboy, Boing Boing, Popular Mechanics, VentureBeat, and Gizmodo. He lives in Boston with his wife and two parakeets. You can follow him here on Twitter.
89 responses to “Spirit and JailbreakMe Creator Says Apple May Have Infiltrated The Dev Team”
Pretty sure that if a hacker can find an exploit, then the people that actually write the software in Apple can manage to find a couple as well. Comex is effectively saying that Apple is unlikely to find software holes themselves. Rather big headed.
Really the only response needed for this article.
I always suspected Jobs may actually be using his leave time to go deep cover.
A single instance is not a pattern. This is probably just a coincidence.
He usually hiding in the bush nearby to monitor the jailbreak scene.
“One thing’s for sure, though: given how determined Apple is to keep iPhones locked down, that the battle over jailbreak might get to the point of spies and counter-intelligence isn’t entirely unlikely.”
I always love reading things like this. It shows the basic ignorance of the writer and I can write them off of my to-read list which is always too long anyway.
One more time for the slow learners like the author. Jailbreaks are security holes. They are dangerous for users and the platform. Any company that doesn’t fix security holes when the find them or are notified about them is negligent. Some of the jailbreak exploits can be invoked by simply entering a website. This should scare the hell out of you but because of the irrational dislike of Apple’s policies, you ignore that reality.
Your the same type of moron who says things like “this is uncrackable!”
please don’t comment on writing code ever again, until you’ve debugged a mile in my shoes.
They dont need a spy. They just needed, and probably did, hire someone with a hacker mentality to go through the code with the eyes of a jailbreaker, find ways to get in and how to fix them.
And they could be reading the various forums for clues of what folks are hinting as possiblities
Actually, he said the opposite of “this is uncrackable.” He said that Apple has the ability to find “cracks” the same as hackers. So you decided to fire off your response before thinking and end up sounding childish. Also, nothing in Ack’s response suggests that he himself does NOT code.
If Apple wasn’t actually infiltrating you, you’ve now just given them the idea.
actually, I said “this is like when someone cries it’s uncrackable”
note how I didn’t say he said it was uncrackable, so before you fire off your response and end up sounding childish, perhaps read what your responding to.
If he had every debugged a program, he would know how insane it can be to find small bugs; as in he wouldn’t make that comment.
If there’s one thing you can count on it’s the paranoia of criminals.
You’ve clarified what you said and you probably should have stated it this way in the first place. However, my reply stands. Your assertion that Ack’s comment somehow implies that he believes iOS to be “uncrackable” is over-reaching. Also, disagreeing with someone isn’t childish, but calling him a moron is.
It was stated that way in the first place. And no, in no way does it infer that’s what he thought the system was “uncrackable” it was an example; like people who think we didn’t really land on the moon. fighting about your lack of reading comprehension is not fun however, (even though I’m being paid right now)
I do however laugh when someone tries to zing and fails to even read the comment he replies to. Thanks for that.
Your flailing arguments are visibly deteriorating. I’ll remove myself from the process.
my arguments are weak because you can’t read and continually mis understand plain english.
I get it. thanks.
Actually, WE didn’t land on the moon. THEY may have, but I never left ground.
may have? really?
/lol
This is getting FUN!
I agree. My phone is jailbroken because I refuse to pay a monthly surcharge just for the “privilege” of tethering. I’m glad jailbreak exists. However, I agree that Apple has an obligation to close the exploits.
What I would really like to see is Apple themselves allow an “advanced mode” for the phones, with the caveat that you void any warranty. I know they won’t, and so the game continues.
… how are they criminals? The government and the FCC SUPPORTS jailbreaking and unlocking phones, so get your facts straight.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ytech_…
And I agree with you. Apple would be well advised to allow users who sign an agreement to void their warranty to enable side-loading of applications. It could easily be enforced electronically. But they also have agreements with the carriers that they need to keep which probably prevent them from doing that.
But Apple should close any security hole that is reported or found as quickly as possible no matter how many jailbreaks it disables. Anything else is negligent on Apple’s part. Anyone who can’t understand that is not worth listening to.
Not to sound stupid and all, but it’s quite interesting to read all this replying and arguing…. I noticed that TGB has 8 total likes in his posts but only 1 for JesseDegenerate as of 5:39:10 PM EST. JesseDegenerate, I must say I agree with TGB. Not to make you angry in any way, but the very first comment states: “…Comex is effectively saying that Apple is unlikely to find software holes themselves. Rather big headed.” It is big headed of Comex; Apple is the one who made iOS, and Apple can at this instant rewrite iOS from scratch and get rid of all the exploits of the current iOS (but Apple didn’t, and I don’t think Apple will anytime soon). But then you (JesseDegenerate) came and said a very confusing statement: “Your the same type of moron who says things like ‘this is uncrackable!'” The first commenter, Ack did not say that. He just said that Comex is being big headed (if you don’t know what this means… well it means to be somewhat over confident in one’s self and being “selfish” and acting like they can do everything). Ack did not say weather uncrackable or anything like that… Ack just said, Apple is the developer of iOS and Apple knows more than the hackers about iOS. The Hacker (Comex) is just trying to sound like he knows more than Apple (which isn’t true – Comex might be close, but not more than Apple). I think this is a misunderstanding of your side (JesseDegenerate) try to read over another person’s comment more carefully. Like TGB said, it’s good to disagree; that’s what makes this world move. But it’s unintelligent to say someone is a “moron” just because you misunderstood their comment.
tdlr, disagree’ing with me will never upset me; flaming me because you
read something more, will get you flamed back. Which is all that happened.
Considering the context it was a bad example to give, but It was just
that, an example. Why couldn’t this guy just get that? idk Why it’s turned
into 4 posts? Idk, or care.
iPhone 5 “soft” First Test
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Yes, I know disagreeing with you won’t make you upset (that’s why I said disagreements make the world change and move). Now, what does the flaming part even mean? It could just be me that don’t understand your last post… clarification would be nice…. Well, you could have prevented all this if you DID read your bad example before you posted it…. then you could have changed the example to a better one so that the other person understands you and no argument… How’s that?
Fair enough, to flame someone is to un-neccecarily provoke anger in them
by saying something that’s designed to do just that. Again, It was a bad
example; sorry for that!
Again, I agree with both of you guys. I did jailbreak my iPod Touch just for the reason to have some customization to my own product. Yes, many hackers do get irritated and many consumers get irritated on how Apple keeps their products “fool-proof” or “parental by Apple.” But Apple is doing this for the consumers. Reports are coming in that Android devices have viruses- something no one imagined on a phone! Apple on the other hand, rarely had somewhat “known” virus… but then disappeared. Apple’s product doesn’t have fragmentation, no confusion, etc.
Yes, it does get annoying for hackers and consumers out there who want to jailbreak… but it’s Apple’s duty to provide consumers the convenience, the enjoyment, and the security consumers deserve. That’s why Apple patch security holes. Apple might not even care about the jailbreaking it self; Apple might just be worried about the things that could happen to jailbroken devices, such as password stealing, etc. We should be glad no one is using the jailbreaking and security holes for their advantages….
No problem, just here to help.
Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeze
Dont git all crazy…apple aint gots dat kinda money. yall own some James Bond S**t!
Comex just tweeted again about the possible leak…he refers to an article of BGR where they anticipated the fix of the iPad 2 vulnerability. One week before the official 4.3.1 release by Apple
This is the tweet:
Your is different to you’re. Come on.
Jailbreaking a device is something that apple does not want to happen. I strongly believe that Apple tries very hard to obtain an iOS that is very difficult to find exploits within the OS. This being said, when you have an exploit that stays in the iOS for several iOS updates without being patched, it appears that the jailbreaker has an advantage over apple and the right to be big headed. I would also be big headed had I found an exploit that lasted nearly a year without being patched.
Danny Kim! YOU ARE RIGHT! PERIOD!
I agree with Ack… but if this is true, then HOLY SHITE, it’s getting serious.
Yes, Really. I haven’t seen evidence besides the fact that they said they did in 1969. I wasn’t born then, so I seen nothing. Anyway, them landing on the moon is not that big of a deal because the cow jumped over the moon trumping their endeavors.
I was all >< till I read the end of your comment;
I need some coffee
This is why Apple is, and in the end, will win the cat vs mouse game. I bought a factory unlocked iphone 4 after waiting 4 months for the Dev Team to produce an unlock for my original ATT locked iphone 4. The Dev Team is a team of adults that act like high school girls – always blaming one another and stirring up drama for all to see. My thought is that Apple simply has a cool head, slow and steady, continuing to create iOSs that are more and more difficult to “crack” (sorry Jesse). The Dev Team cant keep up anymore and you can see by their drama-filled tweets that they’re outmatched.
Now if Apple would only start selling their phones in the US factory unlocked… that would make people like me happy, and would effectively cut off the air to the hackers (I assume the majority of people hounding the Dev Team are after an unlock and wouldnt grab the jailbreak if they didnt NEED it).
Because you are mentally delayed, that not necesery makes people with different opinion, morons
if you wrote “morans” that post would have been a good troll, but alas; your not funny:(
Hahahaha
Comes is the leak…. He’s sold out!
yes and no. You are okay to jailbreak if you aren’t pirating or otherwise breaking the law .
BUT you are not okay to assist others in jailbreaking. or a fee or free. Including posting info and tools online.