Skip to main content

Checkm8 iOS exploit could make for a new unpatchable iPhone jailbreak

It looks like there’s another potentially huge iOS exploit out there. According to a security researcher who goes by the name “axi0mX” on Twitter, there’s a vulnerability for any iOS device that has an Apple A5 chip through an Apple A11 chip, which includes the likes of the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPad models dating back to the iPad 2. The researcher calls the exploit “checkm8” and released it on Twitter.

The exploit itself is a so-called bootrom exploit, which basically means that it’s a vulnerability in the device’s ROM, or read-only-memory, rather than the software. That means that Apple can’t fix the issue with a software update, so devices with the affected chips are basically permanently vulnerable.

Recommended Videos

It’s a pretty significant find, and could make for the first unpatchable jailbreak for iPhones in a number of years. The last publicly released iPhone bootrom exploit was released for the iPhone 4 in 2010, and it could allow anyone with a device that features an A5 to A11 chip to jailbreak their phones, if they so choose. There are other jailbreaks available to iPhones, but they’re based on software flaws and can be patched.

Of course, you won’t be able to jailbreak your iPhone with this exploit right away — and you still may never be able to. First, someone has to create a jailbreak that exploits the vulnerability, and there’s no guarantee that will ever happen. Still, known jailbreak developer Pwn20wnd seems to be interested in the exploit, and may well create a jailbreak that makes use of it.

Checkm8 could have other implications, too. According to axi0mX, it could ultimately be used to downgrade to older versions of iOS without Apple’s involvement, and it could be used to dual boot iOS. Of course, it could also be used by hackers, however it does need physical access to the device to work, so at least hackers won’t be able to make use of it remotely.

The exploit is currently available on GitHub, but it’s marked as a beta release right now. Jailbreaking exploits often come with easy-to-use tools that enable users to take advantage of them — but for now, checkm8 is still very technical and could brick an iPhone if used without the proper technical knowledge. Of course, we never recommend that you jailbreak an iPhone, as it voids the device’s warranty, makes for a less secure device, and could render your device unusable if something goes wrong.

Christian de Looper
Christian de Looper is a long-time freelance writer who has covered every facet of the consumer tech and electric vehicle…
5 rumored iOS 26 features we could see at WWDC 2025
An iPhone 16 laying on a shelf with its screen on.

Apple’s upcoming WWDC 2025 showcase is going to be a busy one, even though the expected AI-powered software rebirth may not land until next year. In the meantime, reliable sources have spilled the beans on what we might expect for the next major iOS overhaul. 

Starting with the name, Apple could skip iOS 19 and could go straight from v18 to v26. We are also expecting a design overhaul, something that could draw inspiration from Vision OS. On the functional side, an AI health coach would be a huge draw for fitness enthusiasts. 

Read more
Why you shouldn’t care what number Apple puts on your iPhone’s software
The Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max's screen.

One number may change to another number at an important industry event on June 9, and despite some of the headlines that have been circulating around the news, this succinct explanation of what may happen allows you to guage its real importance. Apparently, Apple may use the WWDC 2025 keynote presentation to announce a change from the expected iOS 19 software’s name to iOS 26, and here’s why you shouldn’t worry about it. 

Many people won’t even know

Read more
20 iPhones elevate Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later scene
A camera rig with 20 iPhones being used to shoot part of 28 Years Later.

We already know that the iPhone is a versatile piece of kit with a powerful camera capable of capturing highly impressive video.

That quality, coupled with the phone’s small size compared to conventional movie cameras, has been inspiring a growing number of filmmakers to use Apple’s handset for at least some of the shots in their grand productions.

Read more