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Malware for Jailbroken iOS devices

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chas_m

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Well, the day I've been predicting for a while is here:

Malware steals Apple IDs from jailbroken iPhones, iPads | Electronista

Jailbreaking was once something genuinely useful, but it ceased to be that a while back. Apple kept on putting in the features we jailbroke to get, and now (most) carriers will unlock your phone without a fight -- not much reason to JB left, particularly as those exploits are now too valuable to hackers to leave to people who are just trying to have fun or learn something.

I had to jailbreak to unlock my (original) iPhone when I changed countries, and while I was there I tried out a few nifty apps and such, but I knew the same flaw I relied on to get my phone unlocked could also have been used to compromise my data. I haven't jailbroken my latest iPhone and iPad and now I doubt I ever will again.
 
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Yes, you've been predicting for a loooooooooong while. It's very much worth pointing out that the malware in question here isn't available via the default repositories available in Cydia. In other words, you have to go out of your way to get it.

And jailbreaking is perfectly and genuinely useful still. There are a couple that expand the use of TouchID to other apps and situations, for example. Expanding the selection of toggles in Control Center is another. There are many more examples, but I'm not inclined to sell you on it.
 

vansmith

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Apple kept on putting in the features we jailbroke to get
Saving files locally, share content between apps, setting new defaults, tethering regardless of carrier restrictions, etc. iOS has a long way to go to have basic features that the JB community can provide (and always will since Apple will never implement it all either out of choice or simply because needs outpace development).
and now (most) carriers will unlock your phone without a fight
That's carrier specific and many of them still put up resistance. If they don't, they frequently charge you for the service making the cost of $0 very attractive. Free is always better than the $50/$150 (the latter if there are certain conditions on accounts) Bell charges you (source), the $50 Rogers charges you (source) or the $35 Telus charges you (source).
 
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chas_m

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Yes, you've been predicting for a loooooooooong while. It's very much worth pointing out that the malware in question here isn't available via the default repositories available in Cydia. In other words, you have to go out of your way to get it.

But getting away from default distribution is a bit of THE POINT of jailbreaking. People add extra repositories to Cydia all the time because it explicitly allows you to do that.

And jailbreaking is perfectly and genuinely useful still.

I didn't say it wasn't, only that the incentives have diminished over the past few years.

[Unlocking is] carrier specific and many of them still put up resistance. If they don't, they frequently charge you for the service making the cost of $0 very attractive.

But a) jailbreaking a phone does not unlock it, and b) in the US, unlocking without carrier consent is illegal. (just to be clear, jailbreaking is still legal in the US)
 

vansmith

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But a) jailbreaking a phone does not unlock it,
I didn't say it did. You said "now (most) carriers will unlock your phone without a fight" and I responded to that (explicitly so).

b) in the US, unlocking without carrier consent is illegal. (just to be clear, jailbreaking is still legal in the US)
I'm in Ottawa, you're in Victoria. I'm not sure why you're using US law as a counterargument here. If you want to counter my argument, you have to make it relevant to me.
 
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But getting away from default distribution is a bit of THE POINT of jailbreaking. People add extra repositories to Cydia all the time because it explicitly allows you to do that.

Sure, it may ALLOW you to, but I for one never added other repositories beyond what comes with Cydia. Big Boss has their own strict rules on what they allow on their repository, even if they don't actively screen like Apple does.

I didn't say it wasn't, only that the incentives have diminished over the past few years.

But they still exist and are valuable to many people, so why raise the point?
 

dtravis7


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Just get a Samsung Galaxy S5 and don't worry about it all! :D Grin
 

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