Apple completes jailbreaking fix
No time frame provided for release of security patch
Apple, the technology company, is surreptitiously dealing with a security problem. The company's actions may dictate the pace at which attacks on iPhones and iPads accelerate.
The company is hurrying to release a patch for a vulnerability that allows for remote hacking -or jailbreaking - of iOS, the operating system for iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch.
Natalie Kerris, an Apple spokeswoman, says that the patch is completed. She adds, however, that she cannot give a time frame for the public release of the fix.
Jailbreaking is the hacking of the iOS operating system for the purpose of downloading Web apps not approved by Apple. JailbreakMe.com, a Web site that surfaced this spring, made it trivial to jailbreak your own iPhone or iPad, which used to be difficult. Instructions for remote jailbreaking appeared on the Web site.
Michael Price, an operations manager for McAfee Labs, says that an attacker would get "fairly complete control of affected devices." No such attacks are known to have happened yet, though the pressure is said to be building. Mikko Hyponnen, a senior researcher at F Secure, an anti-virus firm, says hackers are likely devising a worm to take control of iPads and iPhones. "My guess is we'll see it within a week... There's very little users can do to protect themselves beforehand," he said.
"We'll do everything we can to make sure this is not an issue for our customers," Kerris said, pertaining to the threat.