iPhone Jailbreaking: Security Concern or Not?
Charlie Miller of Tipb.com stated, “Turns out that if you jailbreak your iPhone you remove most of the Apple’s security protections — 80% to be exact — and are vulnerable to attacks.”
That statement seems to resonate across the cell phone app community when discussing the adverse effects of jailbreaking Apple’s iPhones. In two recent articles, one by Terrance Gaines titled, “The Government Approves “Jailbreaking” of Mobile Devices” and the other by Nick Farrell titled, “Apple loses in Digital Millennium Copyright ruling” Congress deems jailbreaking and the unlocking of phones legal with stipulations.
For those who are not familiar with the term jailbreak, it is freeing a device from the constraints imposed by the vendor. It normally requires the installation of software on a computer that will allow it to be installed on the device thus breaking it wide open for access and full modification as well as access to third party non-approved software.
There seem to be two sides to the concept of jailbreaking when it comes to the iPhone. Many feel, by Apple controlling which apps are sold through their AppStore they can limit the amount malicious software by conducting internal reviews of the applications for operating safety and compliance.
While others contend, jailbreaking an iPhone is not dangerous or unsafe. Many feel if the user use common sense and review the applications before downloading it, that they should be fine and If something were to go adversely wrong, implement the factory reset procedures would revert the iPhone back to factory default and under Apple’s protection once again.
On a blog posting a user stated, “It’s frustrating to know that the device can do so much more and is only limited by Apple’s short sited administrative hold.”
Personally, if you are a tech savvy individual and understand what to out look for, then jailbreaking the iPhone maybe something you are comfortable with, but for those that are not as tech savvy or do not have a clue on what to look for, I would recommend that you do not jailbreak your phone. Once you jailbreak your iPhone, you are on your own and are outside of all of Apple’s security controls.
What are your feelings on the iPhone Jailbreaking matter?