Hackers Dissect The iPhone

July 5, 2007 By Digital Trends Staff

Hackers and security companies have been tearing apart the tech worldâ€™s newest toy, the iPhone, to check and bypass its security.

It should be no surprise, but hackers and security experts have been tearing the iPhone apart in attempts to discover flaws. Since its release last Friday, the device has been pored over,primarily to find a way to hack the code that binds the iPhone to AT&T. Once successful – and a successful hackis expected this week – the iPhone could be used on any network. There have already been successful attempts to activate the phone without going the legal route of registering it withAT&T via iTunes. Researchers have already identified a flaw in the phone’s Safari browser(actually the same one discovered in a version of Safari designed to run on Windows). Errata Security found the problem, which could allow hackers some controlover the phone. However, overall the company is quite satisfied with the device, especially the feature that allows it to receive updates when connected to iTunes. “We think the iPhoneis inherently more secure than competing smartphones – such as those based on Windows Mobile or Symbian,” wrote Errata chief executive Robert Graham. One hacker, Jon Lech Johansen, hasan iPhone activation tool posted on his site. It will allow the handset to work as an iPod and other things, but not as a phone. The degree towhich the eager have gone to unearth the iPhone’s secrets have been remarkable. Ifixit.com has a series of pictures of the innards, along with detailednotes. Others haven’t been quite so precise. A video posted on YouTube, which has already been seen 300,000 times, shows two peopledismantling the phone – which retails for several hundred dollars – with a hammer.

Showing 11 comments

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Rupert at 12:34pm 6th July 2007 Shane,

You say you've had your Iphone for over a week?
Throw that junk away, man, it's an antique!!!!!
Shane at 12:02pm 6th July 2007 LMAO at Rupert. IT'S ALL ABOUT THE PENTIUMS, WHAT!?
Rupert at 9:10am 6th July 2007 For those saying that it won't work on Sprint or Boostmobile, you don't know what you are talking about. My cousin is really good with electronics, he said he could make it work using the internals of another phone he got because they use the same type of chip. I believe he called it a Dorito. He also has his spreadsheets printed out on his bedsheets.
Dasutin at 6:35am 6th July 2007 I hate to break it to anyone hoping that the iPhone would be one day be used on Verizon's or Sprints networks. The iPhone is only capable of working on a GSM network. Sprints and Verizon's networks are CDMA. The iPhone WILL NOT work on a CDMA network. Even if people are able to break into it and be able to modify the phone, you will not see it working on a CDMA network. Maybe the second generation of iPhones will have GSM and CDMA capabilities but only then will there be a chance for it to be on Verizons or Sprints network
focher at 6:15am 6th July 2007 I hate it when articles use words like "legal" when it is pretty apparent that the author has no basis for declaring whether a behavior is legal or not.

For sure, bypassing the SIM lock which restricts the iPhone to AT&T is not illegal in the USA (and pretty much anywhere else) based on the Librarian of Congress' published decision in November of 2006 that removing the protection of a SIM lock is not a violation of the DMCA.

So what exactly is the questionable "legal" behavior here? "Activating" the iPhone so that it actually starts functioning? Gimme a break.
Matty Matt at 5:17am 6th July 2007 I would want an iPhone even if I could only use the wifi capabilities. This is great news. http://pixelspotlight.com/
marco at 5:05am 6th July 2007 Well, it's all nice, but using an iPhone on a non-ATT network will mean it'll be crippled. Certain functions, like visual voicemail are really a network function, and not so much a phone feature.

So, good for those who want a basic phone with iPod capabilities, not useful for those who want a real iPhone.
Chris Rowe at 2:52am 6th July 2007 "There have already been successful attempts to activate the phone without going the legal route of registering it with AT&T via iTunes."

Bypassing the activation is not illegal as you suggest. Upon buying an iPhone handset it is not actiavated and thus you are simply buying a piece of hardware. What you do with that is your own free will.
Toby at 10:02pm 5th July 2007 Can you hack it to work on Sprint or Verizon? Or do those carriers use a different technology?
Ryan at 10:01pm 5th July 2007 All I want is the iPhone without the phone. Apple will you create this for me!?