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Prototype iPhones That Hackers Use to Research Apple’s Most Sensitive Code

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Re: Prototype iPhones That Hackers Use to Research Apple’s Most Sensitive Code

#41

Post by therein »

saagarjha wrote: post #36
throwabayhay wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not true, and just more complex in general. EDIT: I just looked at some of your other comments. I think you mean well and have some impressive knowledge for someone not working on those things, but some of it is also guesswork about very complex details that even internal people can get wrong, so I think publicly claiming conjecture as if it were fact is more misleading than you mean it to be.

I'm mostly basing my comments on my knowledge of what the jailbreak community has made public so mistakes are likely me misremembering or not fully understanding something. Is there something in particular that I got wrong?

Very impressive indeed. And the GP is right about many employees even getting these little details wrong. The answer is definitely a lot more complicated.

As far as I remember, the AppleConnect aspect of it is only if you want to connect to the corp NFS where they have the IPSW. And beyond that I think I was able to use PurpleRestore on production silicon by switching the device connected to the host at the right point in time and leaving my phone in a really odd state that had shocked everyone at the Apple store I brought it to. They were so confused that I had to explain to them where I work for them to calm down.

Re: Prototype iPhones That Hackers Use to Research Apple’s Most Sensitive Code

#42

Post by therein »

jd20 wrote: post #12

> The phone boots into an operating system known as “Switchboard,” which has a no-nonsense black background and is intended for testing different functionalities on the phone. I think the article confuses the meaning of "dev-fused" hardware, with what OS is actually installed on the phone. When I used to work at Apple, I always understood "dev-fused" to mean a device on which you could install unsigned builds of iOS.…

Oh I had forgotten all about the codename disclosed, UI-disclosed, bin-disclosed, src-disclosed distinction.

"dis clos urec heck.co rp.a pple.com" is the most paranoid thing ever too. :)

Re: Prototype iPhones That Hackers Use to Research Apple’s Most Sensitive Code

#43

Post by [deleted] »

Despegar wrote: post #6

>In 2017, however, Solnik was hired by Apple to work on its security team, specifically on the so-called red team, which audits and hacks the company’s products. His talk at Black Hat had apparently impressed the folks at Cupertino. A few weeks later, however, he abruptly left the company, according to multiple sources. >The full story of Solnik’s short stint at Apple is a closely-guarded secret. Motherboard spoke to…

[deleted]

Re: Prototype iPhones That Hackers Use to Research Apple’s Most Sensitive Code

#44

Post by therein »

Despegar wrote: post #6

>In 2017, however, Solnik was hired by Apple to work on its security team, specifically on the so-called red team, which audits and hacks the company’s products. His talk at Black Hat had apparently impressed the folks at Cupertino. A few weeks later, however, he abruptly left the company, according to multiple sources. >The full story of Solnik’s short stint at Apple is a closely-guarded secret. Motherboard spoke to…

Wow, this sounds incredibly, personally familiar. This is such an Apple thing to do. In fact hearing about Solnik, I feel better about talking about things because I always thought giving out details narrowed things down a little too much.

Let me guess what happened to Solnik. He got to work one day to find out his meetings for that day was cancelled. Then got an iMessage asking him to come to a different building instead to meet with Global Security Operations. :)

This is never about Apple finding something against you. It is about Apple now deciding you are too risky to employ as you constitute an internal threat because you read too much or you put one and one together and told someone something you're not supposed know because you're not disclosed on it.

Apple probably let him keep his bonus and all the RSUs he was promised, as a demonstration of "good faith".

Re: Prototype iPhones That Hackers Use to Research Apple’s Most Sensitive Code

#45

Post by [deleted] »

therein wrote: post #41
saagarjha wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm mostly basing my comments on my knowledge of what the jailbreak community has made public so mistakes are likely me misremembering or not fully understanding something. Is there something in particular that I got wrong?

Very impressive indeed. And the GP is right about many employees even getting these little details wrong. The answer is definitely a lot more complicated. As far as I remember, the AppleConnect aspect of it is only if you want to connect to the corp NFS where they have the IPSW. And beyond that I think I was able to use PurpleRestore on production silicon by switching the device connected to the host at the right poi…

[deleted]

Re: Prototype iPhones That Hackers Use to Research Apple’s Most Sensitive Code

#46

Post by golergka »

evolvedcleaning wrote: post #11
Despegar wrote: post #6

>In 2017, however, Solnik was hired by Apple to work on its security team, specifically on the so-called red team, which audits and hacks the company’s products. His talk at Black Hat had apparently impressed the folks at Cupertino. A few weeks later, however, he abruptly left the company, according to multiple sources. >The full story of Solnik’s short stint at Apple is a closely-guarded secret. Motherboard spoke to…

Money talks, if they paid him enough they could buy his loyalty Similar parallels exist in many walks of life. Those guarding assets need incentives to be loyal In a case of a potentially bad actor/blackest hat, you make them an offer they can’t refuse. Take lots of money and stay quiet, or we will unleash our government pit bulls.

Not all people have money as their only and highest motivation. For many, once they get at a comfortable level, other things become more important.

Re: Prototype iPhones That Hackers Use to Research Apple’s Most Sensitive Code

#48

Post by MagnumOpus »

evolvedcleaning wrote: post #11
Despegar wrote: post #6

>In 2017, however, Solnik was hired by Apple to work on its security team, specifically on the so-called red team, which audits and hacks the company’s products. His talk at Black Hat had apparently impressed the folks at Cupertino. A few weeks later, however, he abruptly left the company, according to multiple sources. >The full story of Solnik’s short stint at Apple is a closely-guarded secret. Motherboard spoke to…

Money talks, if they paid him enough they could buy his loyalty Similar parallels exist in many walks of life. Those guarding assets need incentives to be loyal In a case of a potentially bad actor/blackest hat, you make them an offer they can’t refuse. Take lots of money and stay quiet, or we will unleash our government pit bulls.

In the case of a black hat selling exploits to governments, that government can always outbid a company. They can offer to pay more plus not kill/imprison his family members.

Re: Prototype iPhones That Hackers Use to Research Apple’s Most Sensitive Code

#49

Post by tinus_hn »

jd20 wrote: post #12

> The phone boots into an operating system known as “Switchboard,” which has a no-nonsense black background and is intended for testing different functionalities on the phone. I think the article confuses the meaning of "dev-fused" hardware, with what OS is actually installed on the phone. When I used to work at Apple, I always understood "dev-fused" to mean a device on which you could install unsigned builds of iOS.…

Why don’t they just sign them using a different key?
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