Famous iOS hacker – Cyril aka pod2g was the key member of the jailbreak dream team who released jailbreak tools such as Absinthe to jailbreak iOS 5.x.x.
So ever since Apple released iOS 6 in September, we’ve been hoping that pod2g will work his magic and release a jailbreak for iOS 6 and newer iOS devices.
Unfortunately, the jailbreak has taken more time than expected, and it looks like things are going to get even more difficult with the release of iOS 6.1 as Apple seems to have added more protection to it.
Sebastien Page of iDownloadblog interviewed pod2g where he discussed the current state of the iOS 6 jailbreak among other things. Here’s an excerpt of that interview:
Where do you see the jailbreak community in 12 months? Are we on the right track or have we hit a wall?
I’m very confident about the next 6 months. I honestly believe that iOS 6 will be jailbroken and that developers will keep coming up with more quality apps. Discussions about future tweaks during JailbreakCon have opened new doors. Creativity won’t stop.
Regarding future iOS versions, I don’t really know what to think. I believe Apple will make it harder and harder to find and develop jailbreaks in a timely manner.
My message to Apple is the following: why not stop the fight and let users install unsigned applications, just like it is possible on OS X? It could be done the right way to let people install tweaks while making sure piracy is limited.
I am convinced that it would allow iOS to gain market shares over Android.
You recently said you were not working on the iOS 6 jailbreak. What would make you change your mind?
There is a big chance I change my mind. I actually spent a few hours on it since WWJC, but I still don’t have enough time to work on it.
Working with @planetbeing motivates me a lot. He’s always very resourceful and he raises the bar.
It seems that the entire community is relying on you and a handful of other hackers. Can you feel a pressure from jailbreak users?
Yes I can feel a strong pressure, but I believe most of my followers understand that working on a jailbreak isn’t our full-time job and that we do our best to conciliate work life, personal life, and work on a jailbreak.
I often receive messages on Twitter telling me to slow down, to take our time, and maybe wait for iOS 6.1, etc…
Chpwn recently showed off a jailbroken iPhone 5 running iOS 6. Can you tell us what he did? Is it a good starting point for an iOS 6 jailbreak?
In short, this “jailbreak” is based on a developer certificate. It doesn’t alter the kernel allowing for a real, full jailbreak, which is why we call it a “failbreak”. It’s a very good start because it allows security researchers to have access to the file system, to modify any iOS file, and execute unsigned code at the root level. On the other end, this failbreak can’t be used as a public jailbreak.
How many iOS devices do you own?
iPod touch 3rd Gen, iPod touch 4th Gen, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPad 2, and iPad 3.
Are they all jailbroken?
All my devices are jailbroken except for the ones I use daily (iPhone 4S, and iPad 3). These two aren’t jailbroken for two reasons:
to force me to work on the iOS 6 jailbreak and because I am currently developing an official application, I want to be able to test it in a stock configuration
If you’re not working on a jailbreak, can you tell us more about what you’re doing these days?
As I mentioned above, I don’t have much time because I am in the process of creating a company, and I’m actively working on a software. Since I have taken a sabbatical, my future revenues depend on this work, which is why I’m dedicating 100% of my time to it.
He had some advice for those who want to become the next pod2g:
First, this is not given to anyone. You must have some solid skills in development, but also in the understanding of how modern operating systems work. To start, you must read numerous books and white papers about the topic. The most interesting ones about hacking iOS are:
- Mac OS X Internals (Amit Singh)
- A Guide to Kernel Exploitation: Attacking the Core (Enrico Perla, Massimiliano Odani)
- The Mac Hacker’s Handbook (Charlie Miller, Dino Dai Zovi)
- The iOS Hacker’s Handbook (Charlie Miller, Dino Dai Zovi & others)
Only once you have assimilated the notions explained in these books will you be able to start working on jailbreaking.
The goal isn’t success. The goal is to help the community develop tools.
The secret is passion.
And the following are pod2g’s must-have jailbreak tweaks:
- OpenSSH: to easily access the iPhone file system and for security research
- SBSettings: for quick access to the iPhone settings
- Barrel: I love the geekiness of it. Everyone knows your iPhone is jailbroken when you use it.
- IntelliScreenX: so I can have access to my social network at the slide of a finger. It’s a beautiful app!
- 5 icons dock: to add Twitter without moving stock icons in the dock
He also had the following message for Apple and his followers:
The first one is to my followers, whom I want to thank for their patience and their support. I can’t guarantee that I will work on a jailbreak in the next few days, but as soon as I have time on my hands, I’ll be back.
The second message is to Apple, because I was disappointed about the iPhone, which has no significant added value compared to the iPhone 4S, especially in France where there is no 4G LTE support. I can’t find the innovation in this product that I was able to find in previous models. You have to take risks, add new features while improving interactivity. I’m worried about the future, especially with this closed OS and pressure coming from Android.
It’s a pity that pod2g doesn’t have the time to work on the jailbreak, but we hope that he can take some time out from his busy schedule to work on it.
Nevertheless, we wish him all the best with his new venture.
Via: iDownloadblog
