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In July, Apple announced that it was making a special type of iPhone that consumers would not be able to buy. Instead, this hacker-friendly iDevice would be sent exclusively to security researchers. This week, that new iPhone started shipping.
Unsurprisingly, the iPhones that consumers receive include a locked version of iOS to make it difficult for malicious software and hackers to take control of their device. However, security researchers have to work with the same version, making it much more difficult to analyze and discover security holes in the mobile operating system. Apple realized this and decided to offer a hacker-friendly iPhone to the research community.
As MacRumors reports, Apple sent notifications this week to the first group of researchers selected to receive the special iPhone. They are apparently in the mail and should be arriving soon, which means some researchers may end up with an unexpected Christmas present to open on Friday.
Hacker-friendly iPhones are loaned by Apple for a period of 12 months, but the term can be extended if Apple sees fit. In exchange for these devices being available, Apple expects all discovered vulnerabilities to be reported immediately. Researchers are incentivized to do so anyway because Apple runs a bug bounty program with payments awarded to whoever discovers a security flaw first. The amount paid depends on the severity of the vulnerability, with the maximum payment currently being $ 1.5 million.
Don’t expect to see these special iPhones in the wild. Apple is clear that they are not designed to be used like a normal iPhone. Instead, they will most likely remain on an investigator’s desk being bombarded with attempts to hack security and gain both the prestige and money that comes with each discovery.
