When it comes to security, iPhones are at the top of the list, as they are very difficult to hack, thanks to the security system that Apple in its devices. But now hackers, as well as security researchers, are using prototype iPhones to crack and penetrate Apple's operating system.
According to a report from Motherboard, hackers and security researchers are using “dev-fused” iPhones, also called prototypes, to study Apple’s Secure Enclave Processor (SEP), which is responsible for encrypting an iPhone’s data. This is also the component in iPhones that makes it difficult for federal agencies, like the FBI, to access the content of an Apple device.
What makes them particularly tempting for both the developer and hacker communities is the fact that they are not final products or have returned to the development stage and have many security features disabled. These jailbroken versions of iPhones allow hackers, developers, and security researchers to study them more easily and more closely than regular iPhones available in retail stores. They also allow researchers to identify bugs and vulnerabilities in iPhones that were previously unknown, so that they can later be exploited by government agencies. They also help researchers find zero-day vulnerabilities.
One such example was when the FBI and Apple crossed swords in 2016. Initial reports said that a security company called Cellebrite helped the federal agency gain access to the San Bernardino shooter's iPhone. It was later revealed that the FBI paid a million dollars to unlock the iPhone in question. Specifically, Cellebrite sells devices that can unlock Apple iPhones. These devices, the report noted, were developed using dev-fused iPhones purchased by the company. Cellebrite, however, did not comment on the matter.
Apple keeps its development products literally locked away! And yet, these prototype iPhones somehow end up on the black market and are sold by smugglers and middlemen for thousands of dollars. An iPhone X dev-fused iPhone costs around $1,800. For a few dollars more, hackers can discover critical vulnerabilities that could affect millions of iPhone users around the world.
