A job listing on Apple's Web site seeks someone for the title of "iPhone OS Platform Security Manager," a position that would be based in the company's corporate headquarters of Cupertino, Calif. The company is looking for someone to oversee its team which ensures secure booting and installation of the iPhone OS and protecting and hardening it against outside threats.
As noted by Network World, it's not clear whether the position is new, or if Apple is looking to replace someone on an existing team. The Santa Clara Valley job was posted on Oct. 16, 2009.
"This position requires a very technical and hands-on leader, someone with a passion for understanding security exploits and coming up with innovative methods to create secure platforms," the company's description reads. "You must be a highly self-motivated individual who seeks to create a dynamic and creative team environment in which old problems are solved in new and innovative ways."
The position will require the manager to set the roadmap for the iPhone OS platform security, "with an emphasis on hardware support and trusted computing methods." Potential candidates must have three years of experience managing a software development team, direct experience with cryptographic or security related technologies, an expertise in system design with regard to hardware and software security exploits.
The focus of the iPhone OS security team is likely to prevent the practice known as "jailbreaking," via which users can run software not authorized by Apple for use on the iPhone.
Jailbreaking an iPhone allows users to run software not approved by Apple. Some of the capabilities allowed are harmless, like the ability to install custom wallpapers and themes. Some enter a grey area, such as enabling tethering on the AT&T network without the carrier's authorization. And jailbreaking can also allow users to engage in outright illegal activities, like pirate App Store software, if they so choose.
This week, teenage hacker George Hotz released a new jailbreak and carrier unlock combo that is the first successful hack for iPhone OS 3.1.2 and baseband 05.11.07. Hotz first made headlines two years ago when he was the first to successfully unlock Apple's original iPhone. This past summer, he also released the first jailbreaking tool for the new iPhone 3GS.
It has been a long back-and-forth battle between Apple and hackers since the iPhone debuted in 2007. While those working to crack the phone have, until now, been able to maintain their ability to run unauthorized code, Apple, at the moment, appears to have the upper hand. The most recently updated iPhone 3GS, released mid-cycle in October, requires what is known as a "tethered jailbreak," meaning that the iPhone must be attached to a computer via USB and have a hack applied each time it is restarted.
29 Comments
They will never beat the hackers, just give them minor roadblocks.
For some reason I thought they'd get the hint and go the other way with things
If you want the iPhone security to improve, you must hire extremely paranoid people from military intelligence and give them the authority to chop off the hands of programmers if they fail.
Ok, perhaps not the last thing, but security is a simple matter. What can be done will be done.
So use compartmentalized security. One photo pass and a password doesn't get you into every door in the Pentagon.
The military changes it's passwords often, sometimes everyday, sometimes every hour, you don't know and your not supposed too.
Apple might have to enable different OS, DRM chip and security for each and every iPhone.
And we all know this job posting is in response to the gray market jail broken iPhones in China killing the sales of the government mandated wifi less iPhones.
So how much of this is politics? Does Apple really want to be able to lock the iPhone down permanently or not?
Wait till the Chinese government realizes that this grey market iPhone business (and the high priced legal ones) is just a evil plot by western powers to undermine it's power by corrupting the population. Then all hell should break loose.May I suggest Apple take a 20 or 30 thousand of those XServers and program them to find the flaws in their software and hardware instead of letting the public beta test everything and fix the holes afterward.
Computers have beaten humans at playing chess for quite some time now. Creativity is no match to brute force.
I still say Apple should move their manufacturing base to the US now in advance.
Jeez louise ...
They where ashamed of being outperformed by a 17 y/o ^^
But I love my jailbraked iPhone
For some reason I thought they'd get the hint and go the other way with things
yeah that would be clever.