Apple update kills iOS 12 jailbreak

The anonymous hacker who jailbroke iOS 12.4 via a recycled bug has confirmed on Twitter that Apple’s latest update for iPhones and iPads kills the jailbreak.

A vulnerability patched by Apple in iOS 12.3 was accidentally reintroduced by the iPhone maker in the recent iOS 12.4 release. A hacker by the Twitter alias @Pwn20wnd took advantage of Apple’s slip up and developed a jailbreak, a rare hack that lets iPhone users install unauthorized apps on their devices. The company has issued a patch for the hack in iOS 12.4.1, the latest version of the operating system powering iPhones, iPads, as well as iPod touch players.

“I can confirm the exploit was patched in iOS 12.4.1,” Pwn20wnd tweeted. The hacker tells those looking to keep their jailbreak to refrain from installing the patch. However, @Pwn20wnd is the first to admit that users on iOS 12.4 are leaving themselves vulnerable to spyware.

“For example, he said, a malicious app could include an exploit for this bug that allows it to escape the usual iOS sandbox—a mechanism that prevents apps from reaching data of other apps or the system—and steal user data,” according to Motherboard.

In a Support article detailing the patch, Apple credits the hacker for his “assistance,” seeming to mirror the hacker’s own ironic praise for Apple after re-exposing a known bug.

iDevice owners are strongly advised against installing jailbreak software. Instead, owners of any iPhone 5s and later, iPad Air and later, or iPod touch 6th generation should install iOS 12.4.1 without undue delay. To download the patch, on your iDevice go to Settings -> General -> Software Update and choose Download and Install.