In 2007, Apple unveiled the first generation iPhone, followed by the first generation iPod Touch. While these revolutionary new devices included many great features, they were limited to the few built-in applications that included Safari, Maps, Weather, Calculator, YouTube and of course the iPod, in addition to a few others. At the time, the App Store did not exist, and so a number of hackers and “tinkerers” set out to change that.
Fundamentals of Jailbreaking
In order to Jailbreak a device, a vulnerability must be found that is capable of executing a payload. Vulnerabilities may exist in many different forms, and in many different areas ranging from hardware-based exploits to software-based exploits. But finding a usable vulnerability is only half the battle. Jailbreak hackers must figure out the right code needed, not only to perform the jailbreak but also to “patch” the kernel so the device can remain jailbroken after it reboots. It can be very tiresome and time consuming, and the Jailbreak community is lucky to have so many talented individuals working around the clock in search of new exploits (yes, many of them do accept donations).
Consumer Rights
It is not exactly a secret that Apple does not approve of Jailbreaking. Luckily for consumers, an exemption to the DMCA was made by Congress, specifically making it legal to Jailbreak a smartphone. However, it should be noted that while it IS legal to Jailbreak your device, it is also legal for Apple to void any warranty coverage based on the terms of their end-user agreements which prohibit “reverse-engineering” their software. Before bringing your jailbroken iPhone into an Apple Store for service, be sure to restore the software using iTunes, which restores the device to a non-jailbroken state.
The Game of Cat & Mouse
Generally speaking, at least whenever possible, when an exploit is released (via a public jailbreak tool), Apple will patch the vulnerability in their next software update. This means that for each and every software update that Apple releases, a new vulnerability must be found, and a new or updated jailbreak tool must be released. While it could be argued that the jailbreak community actually helps Apple’s security team find potentially dangerous vulnerabilities, the fact remains that even non-dangerous vulnerabilities are usually patched as well. And so it goes, from the initial 1.0 right up the the current 5.0.1 software, while the Jailbreak hackers tirelessly search for exploits, Apple relentlessly patches them.
The Benefits of Jailbreaking
The process of Jailbreaking simply allows unsigned third-party code to be run on the device. This could be in the form of various native applications, much like the apps available in the App Store (generally they are the types of apps that Apple would not approve), as well as various tweaks/extensions that provide a full array of additional functionality on the devices.
Upon Jailbreaking, an application named Cydia is installed on the home screen of the device. Cydia is the equivalent of Apple’s App Store but for jailbreak apps, tweaks and add-ons. The creator of Cydia, saurik, even went the extra mile to add an additional layer of protection to Jailbreakers by providing the ability to “save” restore hashes. Part of the cat and mouse game with Apple is that they will only allow you to update or restore to the current software. By saving the “ok” that iTunes would receive from Apple, Jailbreakers have the ability to downgrade to previous software versions by forcing iTunes to get the saved “ok” from Cydia’s servers when Apple is no longer signing it. Once you jailbreak, generally from that point on you can always get back to that software version. However, any previous versions you had prior to Jailbreaking will not be available.
Jailbreak
Background
In 2007, Apple unveiled the first generation iPhone, followed by the first generation iPod Touch. While these revolutionary new devices included many great features, they were limited to the few built-in applications that included Safari, Maps, Weather, Calculator, YouTube and of course the iPod, in addition to a few others. At the time, the App Store did not exist, and so a number of hackers and “tinkerers” set out to change that.
Fundamentals of Jailbreaking
In order to Jailbreak a device, a vulnerability must be found that is capable of executing a payload. Vulnerabilities may exist in many different forms, and in many different areas ranging from hardware-based exploits to software-based exploits. But finding a usable vulnerability is only half the battle. Jailbreak hackers must figure out the right code needed, not only to perform the jailbreak but also to “patch” the kernel so the device can remain jailbroken after it reboots. It can be very tiresome and time consuming, and the Jailbreak community is lucky to have so many talented individuals working around the clock in search of new exploits (yes, many of them do accept donations).
Consumer Rights
It is not exactly a secret that Apple does not approve of Jailbreaking. Luckily for consumers, an exemption to the DMCA was made by Congress, specifically making it legal to Jailbreak a smartphone. However, it should be noted that while it IS legal to Jailbreak your device, it is also legal for Apple to void any warranty coverage based on the terms of their end-user agreements which prohibit “reverse-engineering” their software. Before bringing your jailbroken iPhone into an Apple Store for service, be sure to restore the software using iTunes, which restores the device to a non-jailbroken state.
The Game of Cat & Mouse
Generally speaking, at least whenever possible, when an exploit is released (via a public jailbreak tool), Apple will patch the vulnerability in their next software update. This means that for each and every software update that Apple releases, a new vulnerability must be found, and a new or updated jailbreak tool must be released. While it could be argued that the jailbreak community actually helps Apple’s security team find potentially dangerous vulnerabilities, the fact remains that even non-dangerous vulnerabilities are usually patched as well. And so it goes, from the initial 1.0 right up the the current 5.0.1 software, while the Jailbreak hackers tirelessly search for exploits, Apple relentlessly patches them.
The Benefits of Jailbreaking
The process of Jailbreaking simply allows unsigned third-party code to be run on the device. This could be in the form of various native applications, much like the apps available in the App Store (generally they are the types of apps that Apple would not approve), as well as various tweaks/extensions that provide a full array of additional functionality on the devices.
Upon Jailbreaking, an application named Cydia is installed on the home screen of the device. Cydia is the equivalent of Apple’s App Store but for jailbreak apps, tweaks and add-ons. The creator of Cydia, saurik, even went the extra mile to add an additional layer of protection to Jailbreakers by providing the ability to “save” restore hashes. Part of the cat and mouse game with Apple is that they will only allow you to update or restore to the current software. By saving the “ok” that iTunes would receive from Apple, Jailbreakers have the ability to downgrade to previous software versions by forcing iTunes to get the saved “ok” from Cydia’s servers when Apple is no longer signing it. Once you jailbreak, generally from that point on you can always get back to that software version. However, any previous versions you had prior to Jailbreaking will not be available.
Where Can I Jailbreak or Find More Information?
Jailbreak Chooser @ ModMyi.com
Wikipedia: iOS Jailbreaking
The iPhone Wiki