iOS Bug Enables iPhone Owners to Jailbreak After Years

It’s possible to jailbreak your newest iPhone, running the latest version of iOS, yet again. Motherboard is reporting that Apple has mistakenly reversed a patch on iOS that allows hackers to jailbreak the latest iPhones after years.

iOS 12.4, the latest version of the OS, includes a vulnerability first found by a Google engineer, that allows users to jailbreak their iPhone. What’s more, the bug puts the security of iPhone users at risk, too.

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Apple had fixed the issue in iOS 12.3, but the company has seemingly reversed the patch, allowing for it to be exploited again. So until Apple releases an update to iOS 12.4, all the latest iPhones can be jailbroken and even worse, hacked. Ned Williamson, who works at Google Project Zero, told Motherboard that anyone could make a “perfect” spyware that uses the bug to escape the iOS sandbox and steal user data.

Pwn20wnd, who developed and released the jailbreak for free, said that “it is very likely that someone is already exploiting this bug for bad purposes.” You can download the jailbreak for your iPhone here, but be wary of what apps you download as this bug could allow any third-party app to steal your personal data.

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Conversation 10 comments

  • Thom77

    19 August, 2019 - 3:27 pm

    <p>third-party app stealing your personal data = exploit, hack, dangerous, spyware</p><p><br></p><p>first-party app stealing your personal data = an improved user experience</p>

  • red.radar

    Premium Member
    19 August, 2019 - 4:11 pm

    <p>Ok so mental note.. don’t download apps till next update is launched and watch what you surf in the short term. </p><p><br></p><p>Crisis avoided ? </p>

    • wright_is

      Premium Member
      20 August, 2019 - 2:11 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#450416">In reply to red.radar:</a></em></blockquote><p>Just put it in airplane mode and have done with it.</p>

    • Jeffsters

      20 August, 2019 - 10:30 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#450416">In reply to red.radar:</a></em></blockquote><p>Feel free to download apps from the App Store…don’t jailbreak and install random apps</p>

      • MikeGalos

        20 August, 2019 - 11:15 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#450629">In reply to Jeffsters:</a></em></blockquote><p>That won't work since the security hole is present in the OS already.</p>

  • RobertJasiek

    19 August, 2019 - 4:24 pm

    <p>But…, citing the random tech blog, iOS is the most secure operating system and such things never happen…</p>

    • simont

      Premium Member
      19 August, 2019 - 5:26 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#450419">In reply to RobertJasiek:</a></em></blockquote><p>Happens less. But does still happen.</p>

  • dontbeevil

    20 August, 2019 - 10:59 am

    <p><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34);">the amazing ios security</span></p>

  • Jeffsters

    20 August, 2019 - 10:28 pm

    <p>From the article: “<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">While it’s still not trivial to hack an iPhone remotely—even with the availability of this bug—the barriers to entry are now much lower.” So message here is until there is an update, which thankfully Apple is great at proving for years, only download from the Apple App Store and DO NOT jailbreak your phone to download unknown 3rd party apps! </span></p>

    • MikeGalos

      20 August, 2019 - 11:16 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#450628">In reply to Jeffsters:</a></em></blockquote><p>No. The message is "you're vulnerable to remote hacking even without any apps ever downloaded as the re-opened security hole is in the operating system".</p><p><br></p>

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