Apple makes hacking Siri easier
(CBS) - The recent Apple iOS 5.0.1 update included iPhone 4S firmware that makes viewing the phone's main file system possible from a computer.
The hacking community is paying close attention because there is now a possibility to access Siri's previously encrypted system file.
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Cult of Mac reported a member of the Apple jailbreaking community, MuscleNerd, tweeted the discovery.
"Huh...today's 4S 5.0.1 bump (9A406) has wide open main [file system]," MuscleNerd tweeted. Upon prompting to clarify, the hacker responded, "it's the first public 4S ipsw where the main filesystem keys are obtainable (due to non-encrypted ramdisks)."
MuscleNerd continued to tweet, "(to clarify: wide open for inspection from a Mac/PC...not wide open security wise :) Can get Siri files and such without piracy)"
In other words, anyone can see and copy files that make Siri work, without infringing on Apple's copyright.
There is much speculation over why Apple would release an update with such an oversight. If I were a conspiracy theorist, I would say that the company is releasing Siri into the wild to see what the hacking community can create.
Siri is still considered a work in progress - just ask women's groups across the nation. While hackers are a dubious bunch, there's no denying they are a talented group of programmers.
