Apple recently hired prolific jailbreak hacker Nicholas Allegra, aka Comex. He is well known for his work on the web based jailbreak tool JailbreakMe. He was also the first person to publish a jailbreak for the iPad 2.
Comex’s hacking abilities have been compared to that of high-level cyber criminal that attacks government infrastructures. Being singlehandedly responsible for Apple releasing new versions of iOS to patch his exploits, many believed that Comex was hired by Apple to work on patching security vulnerabilities from the inside.
We’ve learned that Apple could have hired Comex for more than just his talent…
We’ve received word from an anonymous tipster inside Apple that Comex was mainly hired out of embarrassment. For years, the cat and mouse game between Apple and jailbreak hackers has raged on, with Apple releasing new iOS versions only to have the software exploited again by the brightest minds in the community.
Here’s what our tipster had to say:
“I hear we didn’t hire Comex for his skills, but to ensure that he won’t reveal embarrassing exploits anymore.”
If you think about it, this makes sense. Apple is a company built on a perfectionist mentality. Jailbreakers are a thorn in the side of Apple’s philosophy, and Apple has become more aggressive at patching uncovered exploits in recent months.
While it’s true that Apple has borrowed ideas and stolen talent from the jailbreak community for years, jailbreakers have continued to embarrass Apple with almost every iOS release. What’s most embarrassing to a company with billions of dollars in the bank and some of the most talented engineers in the world? How about a group of hobbyists, freelancing developers, and teenagers that hack iOS from their basements?
We find it very probable that Apple hired Comex for more than his abilities alone. What better way to slowly suffocate the jailbreak community than by taking away one of its most talented leaders?
What do you think? Has the jailbreak killer struck again?
