Starting today, Apple will offer "Hacker-friendly" iPhones security researchers so that they can easily find vulnerabilities and software bugs.
Over the years, Apple has maintained the image of one of the most secure operating systems. This was made possible by locking the software. While this kept hackers under control, it was also impossible for security researchers to find the root cause of any issues that presented themselves.
However, Apple now welcomes security researchers and bug bounty hunters with open arms by lending them Security Research Device (SRD) iPhones. These special iPhones will provide root shell access and allow researchers to run custom commands, things that are not available on iPhones sold to the general public.
While this sounds exciting, especially to security researchers, there is more to the picture than meets the eye. Since this is a special iPhone, there are special rules and regulations.
First of all, Apple says the iPhone must always be "on the premises of the program participants." In other words, researchers cannot use it as a personal phone or carry it.
Second, a security researcher with SRD cannot disclose the vulnerabilities to the public until they have been reported and remedied by Apple or "the appropriate third party." IPhone SRD owners will also have a dedicated forum with Apple engineers and access to comprehensive documentation.
Even if a security researcher accepts all of these, there is no guarantee that he will get the special iPhone as they are limited in numbers and eligibility criteria, not to mention.
According to Apple, the researcher must be part of the Apple Developer Program and have a history of discovering vulnerabilities in operating systems. The person must also be based in an eligible country.
Although Apple has relaxed the security restrictions, it claims that iPhones do not pose a threat to the security of the operating system, even if they are lost or stolen. That being said, this is the first time Apple has done something like this. Only time will tell how dangerous these iPhones would become if they fell into the wrong hands.
