Critical piece of Apple iOS source code leaks to the web

Earlier today, an anonymous person posted the source code of one of the core components of Apple's iOS operating system of GitHub. The code reveals the inner workings of iBoot, which is the first component that runs when you turn on an iPhone. This program checks whether the kernel is properly signed by Apple.

The leaked code is of iBoot for iOS 9 but parts of it will likely still be used in iOS 11, which is the latest version of the operating system. It's unknown how this source code made it out in the open. Now that it's leaked, it could make jailbreaks easier, and allow hackers to find new vulnerabilities.

Apple issued a DMCA takedown request with GitHub, which means the code was legit. Experts are calling this the biggest leak in history:

Apple has traditionally been very reluctant to release code to the public, though it has made certain parts of iOS and MacOS open source in recent years. But it has taken particular care to keep iBoot secure and its code private; bugs in the boot process are the most valuable ones if reported to Apple through its bounty program, which values them at a max payment of $200,000.

“This is the biggest leak in history,” Jonathan Levin, the author of a series of books on iOS and Mac OSX internals, told me in an online chat, referring to Apple's history. “It’s a huge deal.”

Via: Motherboard