| What is Jailbreaking? | | | | iPhone OS 3.0 and iPhone OS 3.1. |
| Jailbreaking has nothing to do with prisons, at least not | | | | One of the iPhone Dev Team also teamed up with |
| on It is a term that is linked to the process that allows | | | | Chronic Dev Team members to create a new |
| iPhone and iPod Touch users to run any code on their | | | | jailbreak for iPod Touch 2G, an untethered rough patch |
| devices other than those originally created by Apple. In | | | | that was implemented into a GUI on April 2009. This |
| other words, it is actually a hacking process for these | | | | happened when the team member, planetbeing, |
| Apple devices, and some may prefer to call it an | | | | made redsn0w based on QuickPwn sources. |
| unlocking process. | | | | Another jailbreaker, geohot, released the |
| Once jailbroken, users may download many | | | | tool blackra1n which allows jailbreaking of all iPhones |
| applications previously unavailable through the App | | | | and iPod touch devices running on iPhone OS 3.1.2. |
| Store, and there are many unofficial installers. Popular | | | | He also released RC3, an update that was able to |
| ones include Cydia, Rock App, Icy (closed since 24 | | | | jailbrea the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS, and a tethered |
| October 2009) and Installer (discontinued). Some | | | | jailbreak on the iPod Touch 3G 8GB model. Geohot, |
| users may even look for illegal pirated applications. | | | | whose real name is George Hotz, also |
| The desire to jailbreak an iPhone or an iPod is greater | | | | released blacksn0w, which is an unlocking application |
| than normal hacking of computers and CPUs because | | | | for the iPhone, which was capable of unlocking the |
| of its exclusivity. Apple has a remarkable reputation | | | | latest baseband version, 5.11.07. |
| with the Mac, and while its performance is superb, | | | | What happens to a jailbroken device? |
| users need to pay premium prices for original license | | | | The best reasons to jailbreak your iPhone or iPod |
| for software. There is a limited profile too, since not | | | | Touch is to be able to download many applications |
| all software are built with Apple’s architecture in | | | | that are not available through the App Store. Usually |
| mind. | | | | these applications are by unofficial installers such as |
| | | | | Cydia, Rock App, Icy (closed since 24 October 2009) |
| As Apple makes its products more affordable to the | | | | and Installer (discontinued). It is distinct from SIM |
| public (Apple’s Mac was somewhat an exclusive | | | | unlocking, which means that the mobile phone will |
| for designers and publishers when it first started), the | | | | accept any SIM without restrictions on the country or |
| desire to jailbreak becomes higher. When iPhone and | | | | network operator origin. |
| iPod are out in the market for the masses, many | | | | However, Apple says that a jailbroken device voids its |
| people start to challenge its security and release these | | | | warranty on the device. This is however, quickly |
| gadgets from the strict control of the big company. | | | | remedied by restoring the device in iTunes. |
| History of Jailbreaking | | | | There is also a chance for viruses and worms to |
| The first jailbreak happened on 10 July 2007 to provide | | | | invade easily on a jailbroken device. The first iPhone |
| a way to use custom ringtones. Following this is a 6 | | | | worm was created by 21-year-old student, Ashley |
| August 2007 release of the first third-party game for | | | | Towns of Wollongong. The Australian technical |
| iPhone and iPod Touch. On 10 October, another iPhone | | | | college student who released this worm in early |
| jailbreaking method was discovered, just a mere 3 | | | | November 2009 told the Australian media that the |
| months after the original iPhone was released. This | | | | worm, called iKee, was created to raise awareness of |
| started a game between Apple and the jailbreakers, in | | | | security issues. |
| which Apple patch up security holes and the | | | | Although the worm is harmless, the source code can |
| jailbreakers exploit them further. Eventually, | | | | become the basis for more malicious code. Since |
| jailbreakers released a tool to permanently jailbreak | | | | then, many viruses were released, and they did more |
| iPhone with OS 1.0. | | | | than just changing the users wallpaper to Rick Astley |
| Apple thought that this problem could be solved with | | | | in the iKee. Shortly on 22 November 2009, F-Secure |
| OS 2.0, but the jailbreakers kept up with a jailbreaking | | | | reported a new malicious worm that compromised |
| application called Pwnage Tool with a graphical user | | | | bank transactions from jailbroken phones in the |
| interface (GUI). These jailbreakers called themselves | | | | Netherlands. |
| the iPhone Dev Team. Until now, the iPhone Dev | | | | Click for more information on jailbreaking. |
| Team has successfully jailbroken the iPod Touch 2G, | | | | |