Apple's New 'Rootless' Security System Will Be a Heavy Blow to the Jailbreak Community

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Posted May 22, 2015 at 5:11pm by Shalom Levytam

Apple is working to upgrade iOS and OS X with a new 'Rootless' security system that's said to be a heavy blow to the jailbreak community, reports 9to5Mac.

Sources within Apple are particularly enthusiastic about a new security system called Rootless, which is being described internally as a “huge,” kernel-level feature for both OS X and iOS. To prevent malware, increase the safety of extensions, and preserve the security of sensitive data, Rootless will prevent even administrative-level users from being able to access certain protected files on Apple devices. Sources say that Rootless will be a heavy blow to the jailbreak community on iOS, though it can supposedly be disabled on OS X. Even with this Rootless feature coming to OS X, sources say that the standard Finder-based file system is not going away this year.

Apple has been busy closing vulnerabilities used to jailbreak with each of the last three iOS updates blocking exploits used to jailbreak.

As of yet, a public jailbreak of iOS 8.3 has not been released (although one of iOS 8.4 beta has been demonstrated) and we've yet to see a jailbreak surface for the new Apple Watch.

For more details on the 'Rootless' security system and how it could affect the future of jailbreaking, please follow iClarified on Twitter, Facebook, or RSS for updates.

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Apple's New 'Rootless' Security System Will Be a Heavy Blow to the Jailbreak Community

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Leif - May 26, 2015 at 8:53am

When I have bought an iPhone/iPad it is MINE!! How dare Apple try to interfere with how I use my legally obtained hardware?

if you can they can - May 28, 2015 at 5:34am

if you can jailbreak someone else could jailbreak and access your data that they wouldn't be able to, or use a device they stole from you in most cases, but I am totally pro JB

Camar - May 26, 2015 at 7:55am

Why do people have to attack each other in every comment thread? People have differing opinions about everything which is fine obviously, but there's no need to belittle someone just because they see things differently. Some people like me accept the security risk of jailbreaking and and some prefer the pure iOS experience and the safety it provides. To each his own. Be nice people.

That Dude - May 24, 2015 at 3:46pm

Imagine how silly it would seem if GM car company acted like Apple: They would try to stop people from putting custom paint jobs, their own stereo system, etc. JC Whitney would shut down. All parts must be GM only. I PAID FOR MY IPHONE let me do with it as I wish. Just like my car - if I want to screw up the mpg & supe the engine let me!

Phillippe - May 25, 2015 at 10:07pm

True. But Jailbreakers AKA pirates don't want to hear logical arguments.

Techno - May 23, 2015 at 4:34pm

This is nothing new, Rootless/Toothless! It will be Jailbroken and apple can't do anything about it. They been doing this for many years.

Kornmehl - May 23, 2015 at 12:02pm

Doesn't matter anyway. The Jailbreak community died two iOS's ago. Exposed as the pirate enablers that they were, most of the lead developers jumped ship.

Qasim - May 23, 2015 at 3:59am

I am waiting for jailbreak from 4 months, but apple is still working .. I liked apple a lot, but now i am switching to android.. Without jailbreak apple phone is zero..

tng - May 23, 2015 at 4:26am

You should switch to Android, you'll get rooted even if you want to or not. With its open technology, you'll get your free jailbreaking without your consent.

bigjiba - May 23, 2015 at 3:39am

Apple stole a bunch of jailbreak ideas which in turn were features in android. But I've noticed less and less I need the jailbreak features than before. Speeding up the animation makes the phone feel faster. Apple could eliminate the need for jailbreaking by offering trial or refund periods for apps. Things I would like to see on the next iOS version: BioProtect for fingerprint locking any app or folder, maps opener for Google Maps, and flux for warm screen tinting at night. I wish I could put iOS on Samsung hardware.

Stefan Miami - May 22, 2015 at 10:33pm

You need jailbreak because Apple allows the carriers to control functionality through the carrier package, like facetime over cellular and hot spot functionality. Without jailbreak you never know what is going to work when you put in a local SIM in country X. Also you need it to enable hotspot for prepaid carriers in the US.

Ken - May 23, 2015 at 12:43am

The only reason people jailbreak is to get free apps; stuff like "customisation" is just a thinly veiled excuse.

CryMeARiver - May 22, 2015 at 10:21pm

Oh my Gosh....I won't be able to modify the text on my springboard now. Seriously? Most of the jailbreak utilities are gimmicky anyways. Who cares!!! I've had a jail broken phone before and the cydia honeymoon phase lasts about 2 weeks and then it gets old. Jailbreaking just made everything more confusing/ android-ish...gimmicky!

I dont use android but - May 22, 2015 at 8:55pm

Jailbreak is more like a gimmick ..for nerds and people WHO cant relax and enjoy ....stoppeed jailbreaking à Whitley Ago and i feeel goooooodaaa

Mas22 - May 22, 2015 at 6:39pm

If true, then Apple is just shooting themselves in the foot. I still do not understand why Apple cares if a small percentage of iOS users want to make personal modifications not provided by Apple... It would seem that by doing this they are only alienating loyal customers.

dkdk - May 22, 2015 at 6:45pm

Because the exploits that are used to jailbreak are essentially security flaws. And Apple obviously does not want security flaws to taint its devices' reputation. Apple's cpu system software used to be "open" and all kinds of tweaks used to be sold for Macs... it became a mess, computers were crashing all the time. So they changed their philosophy and came up with "it just works".

Nickm2 - May 23, 2015 at 6:45am

Unfortunately a lot of people who jailbreak use it to pirate apps/iAP, which pushes apple to lock down tighter on the jailbreak community. Kinda ruins it for those who actually just want the modifications.

Mas22 - May 23, 2015 at 9:28am

Modifications, like removing unwanted/unneeded default apps, i.e. Stocks, Newsstand...or just cleaning up Apple's interface? It's not always about pirating.

Me - May 22, 2015 at 6:28pm

I will be switching to Android.

igorsky - May 22, 2015 at 7:07pm

"I will be switching to Android." Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face...

gamerscul9870 - May 22, 2015 at 8:16pm

Cough, jailbreak through a Mac listed in the article, cough.

Guest - May 22, 2015 at 5:34pm

Made by humans- it won't be long before its reverse engineered and broken. Bring it on Apple.

SayingWhatEveryonesThinking - May 22, 2015 at 5:32pm

I'd rather use an unjailbroken iPhone than an Andriod. But to each his own.

Phenomenal - May 22, 2015 at 5:24pm

umm yea, i dunno about anyone else, but for me, no more JB means no more buying Apple products. So they may wanna think twice about all the business they will lose.

dkdk - May 22, 2015 at 6:46pm

Jailbreakers always overestimate the number of people that jailbreak, or how important it is to them. Apple won't even notice if jailbreakers switch to Android.

qba - May 22, 2015 at 5:24pm

What a joke, there will be always a way, like everything in life.

fsantos - May 22, 2015 at 6:42pm

except for death, as of yet anyways x)

stevenlacross - May 22, 2015 at 5:19pm

We will still break through that, no sweat

dkdk - May 22, 2015 at 6:48pm

What do you mean? We put a man on the moon, we won the Superbowl, we discovered penicillin... surely we can come up with a jailbreak!!! ;-) You're 100% right.