A user has discovered a vulnerability that makes it possible to jailbreak your iPhone and install banned applications such as viruses and malware
You can jailbreak your iPhone, but only under certain conditions. You must have installed iOS version 12.4 (the latest available version of Apple’s mobile operating system). To report the news was the portal Motherboard that also explained why it is again possible to install unsigned code on your iPhone (operation prohibited by the company of Mountain View).
The “fault” is the latest update released by Apple for iOS, In fact, developers have mistakenly restored a vulnerability that had been fixed with the previous update of the mobile operating system, iOS 12.3. It was a rather dangerous vulnerability that allowed the installation of a spyware, a virus capable of turning the smartphone into a kind of bug and listening and recording all the user’s actions, able to overcome the defense systems of the Apple Store and the iPhone.
The discovery of the jailbreak was made by a guy who tried to “unlock” the iPhone with some special tools and successfully completed the operation.
What is iPhone jailbreak
The jailbreak is a process that allows you to install applications with unsigned code on the memory of your iPhone. It is an operation that is usually not allowed on iPhones and that Apple prohibits all users from doing. Once you jailbreak your smartphone, your warranty is voided and you are no longer protected from hacker attacks.
If iPhone viruses are practically non-existent, it is because of the “closed world” created by Apple that does not allow the installation of applications outside the Apple Store. Usually you cannot jailbreak the iPhone, but it may happen that due to some bugs or errors of the developers, the process becomes possible. At the user’s own risk.
The iOS 12.4 bug that makes the iPhone vulnerable
As Motherboard explained, the restoration of the vulnerability that had been fixed with the iOS 12.3 update makes the iPhone vulnerable to hacker attack. It had been several years since users had been unable to jailbreak the latest versions of the iPhone, and iOS 12.4 is to blame or credit.
As explained at the beginning, the vulnerability in the operating system allows the installation of malicious applications on your smartphone, including viruses capable of spying on your every single action and collecting all your data. That’s why we strongly advise against jailbreaking the iPhone and waiting for a new software update from Apple to fix the discovered bug.
How to defend against viruses on iPhone
The iPhone is usually one of the safest systems in terms of protection from virus and malware attacks. But it may happen in specific cases, like the one discovered by a user, that a malware manages to overcome the defenses erected by Apple developers. What to do to protect the iPhone from viruses? Very simple, only install applications that you are 100% sure of. Before proceeding with the download and installation, read the reviews of other users: if you notice something strange, leave it alone.
Apple developers are certainly working to fix this bug and already in the next few hours may arrive the security patch that will make harmless the vulnerability.