Neil HughesIn October, Apple unexpectedly began shipping new iPhone 3GS models to ward off hackers who run unauthorized software in a practice known as "jailbreaking." In addition to unlocking the handset for use on other carriers, the practice can also be used to run unsigned code.
Hacker George Hotz this week released "blacksn0w," a combination jailbreak and unlock tool that works for the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. The free software is noteworthy because it is the first known successful jailbreak and unlock for the iPhone 3GS with iPhone OS 3.1.2 and baseband 05.11.07.
Apple updated the BootROM for the iPhone 3GS to iBoot-359.32 in with a mid-cycle hardware release in October — the first time ever that the handset maker had modified its hardware in the middle of a product line, without a new model released.
Hotz is a teenager who made headlines two years ago when he was the first to successfully unlock Apple's original iPhone all by himself. This summer, he also released the first jailbreaking tool for the iPhone 3GS.
Prior to the new BootROM, hackers relied on an exploit known as "24kpwn," which allowed users to run unauthorized code on the OS. But the latest update had prevented that exploit.
The latest hack for the newly updated iPhone 3GS hardware is not as seamless as some previous exploits. The blacksn0w software applies what is known as a "tethered jailbreak" for the October-and-later iPhone 3GS (and latest iPod touch), meaning users cannot perform a hardware reset of the phone without connecting it via USB cable to a computer. Users of an iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS sold prior to the latest hardware upgrade are said to be able to restart without the tethered jailbreak.
Apple and the jailbreaking community, led by Hotz and a separate group of hackers known as the iPhone Dev Team, have gone back and forth for some time, as the Cupertino, Calif., company has looked to close avenues used by hackers. One of the main concerns about jailbreaking is piracy, as the procedure can allow users to steal software from the App Store.
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Can it enable iPhone tethering? If I had that, I'd be ridiculously happy, I could ditch my USB EVDO card!
I love this cat and mouse game
And just like in Tommy & Jerry.... I love that the mouse keeps getting himself ahead :P
A hacker this week released a new exploit that allows users to circumvent Apple's preventative measures that have blocked unauthorized code from being run on the new iPhone 3GS.
In October, Apple unexpectedly began shipping new iPhone 3GS models to ward off hackers who run unauthorized software in a practice known as "jailbreaking." In addition to unlocking the handset for use on other carriers, the practice can also be used to run unsigned code.
Hacker George Hotz this week released "blacksn0w," a combination jailbreak and unlock tool that works for the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. The free software is noteworthy because it is the first known successful jailbreak and unlock for the iPhone 3GS with iPhone OS 3.1.2 and baseband 05.11.07.
Apple updated the BootROM for the iPhone 3GS to iBoot-359.32 in with a mid-cycle hardware release in October -- the first time ever that the handset maker had modified its hardware in the middle of a product line, without a new model released.
Hotz is a teenager who made headlines two years ago when he was the first to successfully unlock Apple's original iPhone all by himself. This summer, he also released the first jailbreaking tool for the iPhone 3GS.
Prior to the new BootROM, hackers relied on an exploit known as "24kpwn," which allowed users to run unauthorized code on the OS. But the latest update had prevented that exploit.
The latest hack for the newly updated iPhone 3GS hardware is not as seamless as some previous exploits. The blacksn0w software applies what is known as a "tethered jailbreak" for the October-and-later iPhone 3GS (and latest iPod touch), meaning users cannot perform a hardware reset of the phone without connecting it via USB cable to a computer. Users of an iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS sold prior to the latest hardware upgrade are said to be able to restart without the tethered jailbreak.
Apple and the jailbreaking community, led by Hotz and a separate group of hackers known as the iPhone Dev Team, have gone back and forth for some time, as the Cupertino, Calif., company has looked to close avenues used by hackers. One of the main concerns about jailbreaking is piracy, as the procedure can allow users to steal software from the App Store.
[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]
Very impressive work, Hotz.
You may not be doing too great with the ladies right now (assumption), but you’ll be wealthy and have your pick soon enough.PS: Can someone get with Dev Team and have them name their PwnageTool app to reflect the version of iPhone OS it’s designed for, using a letter at the end to represent any point releases? For example, PwnageTool v3.1.2.c would be the third update to be used for iPhone OS v3.1.2.
Can it enable iPhone tethering? If I had that, I'd be ridiculously happy, I could ditch my USB EVDO card!
It is enabled... but you should load a customized ipcc from itunes to get the correct configurations for that. Just like you use to do in 3.0.
Just update the version inside the .plists on the .ipcc to a higher number (8.0 or something like that) so when you restore the ipcc it gets used as a newer version.
Can it enable iPhone tethering? If I had that, I'd be ridiculously happy, I could ditch my USB EVDO card!
Only if you can find not-so-simple tethering in Cydia or Icy. The elegant tethering by Apple started using signed profiles in v3.1 so even went jailbroken that option is out. I am still on v3.0.1 specifically for that reason. I don?t get the nifty iTunes-based Home Screen editing, but I can live with that.
PS: What is really lame is that even if you needed tethering while on WiFi because the machine you were using no longer had it (for whatever reason) you still won?t be able to use WiFi tethering until you can pay for carrier tethering.