Apple re-patches vulnerability that briefly allowed users to jailbreak their iPhones

[Polycount]

In context: When it comes to the smartphone arena, one major advantage Android devices have over their iOS counterparts is customization and user control. While that control occasionally comes with a few security drawbacks, generally speaking, Android users enjoy having the freedom to tweak their phones and download whatever apps they please with very few restrictions.

However, for Apple fans that largely enjoy the iOS experience and don't want to jump ship over the lack of customization alone, there's one solution: jailbreaking their device.

While this practice does tend to void any warranties your smartphone may have, jailbreaking pros often consider the trade-off worthwhile. Unfortunately, jailbreaking is not a perfectly safe or straightforward process, and Apple works hard to crack down on any vulnerabilities that allow for it to happen.

Indeed, that's precisely what the company has done recently, according to Engadget. A bug that was present in iOS before version 12.3 allowed software hackers to jailbreak their iPhones by executing "arbitrary code" with "system privileges." The kernel vulnerability was fixed with iOS 12.3, but then "unfixed" in 12.4, again allowing iOS users to take advantage of it.

Unfortunately for them, Apple has spotted the bug once more and re-patched it for the second time as part of iOS 12.4.1. This may not stop all jailbreaking solutions from functioning -- there are too many clever hackers out there for us to say that with any confidence -- but it does close off one such avenue, for better or worse.

Image credit: Wired, Vice

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https://www.techspot.com/news/81618-apple-re-patches-vulnerability-briefly-allowed-users-jailbreak.html

 

[DelJo63]

Speaking without evidence, I doubt there are many Macophiles that take the Jailbreak route -- after all, cellphone or otherwise, they are not all consumed with altering the hardware nor the software services.

 

[Squid Surprise]

Speaking without evidence, I doubt there are many Macophiles that take the Jailbreak route -- after all, cellphone or otherwise, they are not all consumed with altering the hardware nor the software services.

While most claim otherwise, the vast majority of people jailbreaking their iPhones do it in order to pirate apps - ie: get their stuff for free.

Most of the stuff that jailbreaking allowed you to do Apple incorporated into iOS anyways....

 

[p51d007]

Shoot, last phone I rooted, was a Galaxy Note...the ORIGINAL one back in 2011 I think?
I did it because before then (below 4.3), the battery life, memory usage etc etc was that you
kind of HAD to, to get any good performance. After around 4.4, phones were stable enough
for what I use them for. I haven't jacked with a phone, other than turning on developer options
to tweak the video, in a long time. Heck, I probably don't even need to turn on developer options
anymore, it's just a habit I guess. I don't do games, benchmarks or any other stuff. Just turn it
on a use it.

 

[Lew Zealand]

I only root iPhones after they no longer receive iOS updates by Apple, which takes a lot of patience as Apple supports for 5+ years nowadays. Only done an iPhone and an iPhone 4 so far but I have an iPhone 5 I want to try next.

 

[Impudicus]

And... I will not be switching to iPhone.