iPhone Jailbreak Possible Again - Checkm8 Makes Any iPhone Vulnerable to Jailbreak

Jailbreak is the process by which an Apple device (predominantly the iPhone) is released from traditional platform constraints. This brings both benefits, with users being able to use the operating system and hardware with fewer restrictions, as well as disadvantages, such as greater vulnerability to malware, government espionage and all.

Past iPhones were some of the easiest to jailbreak, with several solutions available for those who wanted to change their user experience with applications and features that Apple didn't include or allow. on iOS. At one point, however, specialized hardware and advanced protection software have almost disappeared, but a software developer now promises a rebirth of the jailbreak concept on iOS through the "Checkm8" (checkmate) exploit, which could be impossible to block.

In recent days, a new way has emerged in which the jailbreak process can be performed on almost all devices using iOS from the past years (including iOS 13.1). On the iPhone side, this exploit affects every device from the iPhone 4S to iPhone X, and the problem can not be solved, since it is related to the ROM of the devices, which by definition is not modifiable, but can be repaired in future revisions. For example, the Bionic A12 chipset that is used of the iPhone XS is immune to Checkm8.

This exploit requires physical access to your iPhone or iPad, it cannot be executed remotely, so it does not present a huge security threat. It also does not affect the security of components such as Touch ID or Secure Enclave included in most Apple devices. It is not stored after restarting the device. Moreover, there is still no effective tool in use for this exploit to allow the much-coveted jailbreak, but one will surely come in the near future.

For now, Apple has issued no commens on this, but they will certainly try to block it in a future update, if such a thing is even possible.