Unpatchable Apple chip flaw enables potential iPhone jailbreak
7 reported
A cybersecurity company has published details of a vulnerability in Apple chips that could help hackers unlock older iPhones. The flaw, named “usbliter8,” was disclosed by Paradigm Shift, an offensive cybersecurity firm based in Barcelona, in a blog post and proof-of-concept exploit. The vulnerability affects iPhones with Apple-made A12 and A13 chips, released in 2018 and 2019, including models such as the XS, XR, and iPhone 11. The bug resides in the iPhone’s Boot ROM, the first code that runs when the device is turned on, and because it is burned into the chip, it cannot be patched. Exploiting the flaw requires physical access to the target phone, and hackers would still need additional vulnerabilities to access user data. The release could help security researchers develop a jailbreak, but does not make older iPhones easily hackable by anyone. Paradigm Shift stated that migrating to newer hardware is the most effective mitigation.
What’s reported
Paradigm Shift published details of a vulnerability in Apple chips called “usbliter8.”
The flaw affects iPhones with A12 and A13 chips (2018 and 2019 models, including XS, XR, and iPhone 11).
The bug is in the Boot ROM, which is immutable and cannot be patched.
Exploitation requires physical access to the phone via a cable.
Hackers still need additional vulnerabilities to access user data.
Paradigm Shift recommended migrating to newer hardware as the best mitigation.
The company did not respond to questions about the vulnerability.
Key figures
Paradigm Shift (offensive cybersecurity company based in Barcelona)
Sources: TechCrunch
