[amyjones09]

I recently read this: Third Party Apps ported to iPhone 1.1.1 - The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) this will allow third party apps to run on ipod touch if they complete it

[Big Mac]

Nice find, amy. Glad to see they're making progress again.

[analogue SPRINKLES]

The method they used makes it a sure thing it will be patched with the next iPhone update though.

[Big Mac]

Yeah, I didn't read far enough into it to see that they're using a really cheap exploit to get in now. But can someone tell me what the downside for Apple is to opening the platform up instead of alienating such faithful and resourceful developers?

[mdc]

I realize that the hackers are having a tough time against Apple and have to find exploits to get in, but every time they get in there is fanfare announcing which exploit they used to get in. Then Apple patches said exploit with the next update, and the whole thing is repeated.
The hackers are doing free bug finding for Apple.
Maybe they should keep quiet as to which bugs they're finding and using.

One downside I can see to Apple opening the iPhone is that if they open it for 3rd party applications would that be technically like opening it for a 3rd party application that unlocks the phone? I don't know exactly how the iPhone was unlocked but an app ran on the iPhone.
If that is the case that a 3rd party app could go and unlock the phone then I can see why Apple wouldn't want public access to the phone. Maybe they'll do something similar to EA games from the iTunes store.

[Earth Mk. II]

Originally Posted by mdc 

I realize that the hackers are having a tough time against Apple and have to find exploits to get in, but every time they get in there is fanfare announcing which exploit they used to get in. Then Apple patches said exploit with the next update, and the whole thing is repeated.
The hackers are doing free bug finding for Apple.
Maybe they should keep quiet as to which bugs they're finding and using.

One downside I can see to Apple opening the iPhone is that if they open it for 3rd party applications would that be technically like opening it for a 3rd party application that unlocks the phone? I don't know exactly how the iPhone was unlocked but an app ran on the iPhone.
If that is the case that a 3rd party app could go and unlock the phone then I can see why Apple wouldn't want public access to the phone. Maybe they'll do something similar to EA games from the iTunes store.

Well, these "iPhone Dev Team" (honestly? the hubris...) folks aren't the only ones probing around the iPhone for security flaws, so there's no certainty that keeping mum would save them any grief. Also, it wouldn't take much analysis of their methods to figure out which vulnerabilities they're exploiting. I see little benefit for them by keeping it quiet.

Seeing how it's typically security vulnerabilities that are allowing these guys in (buffer overruns allowing arbitrary remote code execution, and the like), I would hope Apple feels compelled to close those holes. Remember that the iPhone is an internet-enabled device; any security vulnerability is a big deal, particularly ones enabling code injection techniques.

The unlocking app - the free one, at least - also used a security vulnerability to overwrite the baseband's firmware. It is totally reasonable for Apple to close an arbitrary code execution bug in one of their system libraries. The method iPhoneSIMFree supposedly uses, primarily by writing some value into the phone's NVRAM, suggests that there is some sanctioned way to unlock the iPhone. I would suggest that the hackers concentrate their efforts into discovering this method, as it strikes me as much safer than overwriting the baseband with custom firmware.

The moral of this story is: relying on software vulnerabilities is a bad programming practice, hack or no.

[mdc]

You have a good point about the hackers not being the only ones searching for holes.