The iOS 11 has been around for a few months, and known software developers and hackers have yet to find an exploit to Apple's current OS update. Many users have already accepted the fact that the iOS 11 cannot be jailbroken, although a recent develop offered a glimmer of hope that a JB tool might be released soon. Specifically, a group of researchers claims that they have successfully developed an untethered 11.2.1 jailbreak in iPhone X.
The iOS 11.2.1 is the latest version of the Apple mobile device firmware. While the previous iOS 11 versions are proven to be unexploitable, a loophole may have slipped into the recent one for the group of Alibaba researchers to perform a jailbreak. The group in question is part of Secure Pandora Labs, a known department of Alibaba, and through a blog post, they revealed the particular vulnerability in the iOS 11.2.1 that allowed them to run a jailbreak to an untethered iPhone. Afterwards, the group was able to load the Cydia jailbreak software, showing that the exploit has been successful.
To note, the untethered jailbreak is a type of software exploit that lets the user reboot the jailbroken iPhone X with ease. The tethered jailbreak versions are slightly more complicated, as users will have to connect their Apple device to a PC to revert it back to its jailbroken status.
Song Yang, the head of the mentioned Alibaba researchers, mentioned that the recent iOS 11.2.1 jailbreak is "perfect" and "different" from the previous exploits performed on older iOS versions. It can also be recalled that a Google researcher has also attempted to jailbreak the iOS 11. He was able to exploit the iOS 11.1 and develop a new tool to run non-supported applications on an Apple device. Unfortunately, his effort went to waste as the iOS 11.2 provided the necessary patch to make the firmware fully secured from future jailbreak attempts.
With proof that the iOS 11.2.1 can be jailbroken, many users are hopeful that a jailbreak software tool will become available for download. However, the Alibaba researchers responsible for the recent iOS 11.2.1 exploit did not reveal any plans to release such JB tool.
