Skip to main content

What The iPhone Hackers Have Found

If you want to know what makes the iPhone tick, thank the hackers who’ve been working tirelessly to discover its secrets. DVD Jon has already posted a workaround to the AT&T activation, which means the device can work – just not as a phone.   But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Far more important are two more discoveries by others, the root password for the phone and the password for the mobile user account.   The iPhone root password is “Alpine,” and the mobile user account is “Dottie.”   And, in dissecting the phone, hackers have laid bare the CPU, which is an ARM architecture, unlike previous systems used by Apple.   As hackers of all stripes discover more about the iPhone, and the handset becomes more commonplace, it’s very likely that the number of viruses written to affect it will grow. And as phone become more sophisticated and like mini computers – like the iPhone – they’re more likely to be hit, rather than the relatively crude older cell phones. In other words, the phone’s popularity could become its problem.   “It is why there are so many more viruses targeting Windows, after all, than the Mac,” Mark Sunner, chief security analyst at MessageLabs, told E-Commerce Times. “It is quite telling that now that the iPod generation has come into the workforce, the number of threats against Mac OS X is increasing.”   Still, for now analysts seem to agree the the iPhone is more secure than most smartphones on the market. However, if you own one, expect the malware to appear, and probably sooner, rather than later.

Editors' Recommendations

Digital Trends Staff
Digital Trends has a simple mission: to help readers easily understand how tech affects the way they live. We are your…
I found 16 new widgets for iOS 17 that you have to try
A selection of widgets on an iPhone home screen.

Widgets have long been a popular feature on iPhones. Since the release of iOS 17, they have become more interactive, providing a more engaging experience. Interactive widgets allow you to perform important actions from your iPhone's home screen. For example, you can complete your to-do lists, play and pause media and podcasts, control your smart home devices, and much more — all without opening any apps.

Interactive widgets are not limited to Apple's built-in apps on iOS 17. Third-party developers are also adopting this new feature. Although not all apps offer interactive widgets, there are plenty that do. Here are a few interactive widgets that are worth exploring.
Calculator 17

Read more
Does the iPhone 15 have an overheating problem? Here’s what we know
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max's camera module.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Last fall, Apple unveiled the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro series, which generated a lot of excitement among consumers. However, some users who got their hands on the devices early on expressed dissatisfaction by taking to social media to complain about overheating issues.

Read more
Your iPhone just got a new iOS update, and you should download it right now
iPhone 15 Pro display with iPhone 15 Pro Max in background.

Apple has just released a new security update, iOS 17.4.1. This comes a little over two weeks after iOS 17.4, which was a big update. iOS 17.4.1 doesn't add any new features, but it's still an important update you'll want to download as soon as you can.

With iOS 17.4.1, Apple states that the update “provides important bug fixes and security updates and is recommended for all users.” Apple doesn’t mention any specifics of these bug fixes, but more details on what this security update addresses may be revealed at a later date.

Read more