iPhone hacked for shell access

Well, that didn't take long -- the hacker crew of IRC channel #iPhone has managed to enable shell access to the iPhone just a week after its release. There's not a lot to the hack -- the iPhone's 30-pin dock connector features the same pinouts as the iPod, so creating a serial connection simply involved connecting up a resistor, ground, and RS-232 level converter and running a few commands from iphoneinterface. The resulting shell is pretty basic, but features a TFTP client -- meaning that we should see a flood of attempts to open the iPhone up in the coming weeks (as if we wouldn't anyway).

Read - hackint0sh announcement
Read - iPhone shell command list

[Philster @ Jul 6th 2007 7:29PM]

Hack it up! DO IT.

[Danielsson @ Jul 7th 2007 7:08AM]

Please change the irc channel to iPhone-talk , so that the iphone channel does not get fludded with ppl talking about gaypeople or such. It's annoying when the guys are trying to talk about actually hacking the device!.

[Oh Please @ Jul 10th 2007 1:47AM]

Instead of spending their time hacking, why can't these people do something useful or fun like volunteer at a soup kitchen or have sex with a real LIVE woman for a change.

[paloooz @ Jul 6th 2007 7:32PM]

Finally a hack that's worthwhile.

[tefloncoating @ Jul 6th 2007 7:50PM]

So does that mean that free, custom ringtones are now avalible?

[Blake Kachman @ Jul 6th 2007 8:00PM]

alright, now we can still look through files just in textual format. And because we waited in line for it for 3 days it's more fun than playing with a Tandy!!

[Kichigai Mentat @ Jul 7th 2007 11:28AM]

I don't think you quite understand what shell access means. First off, that's an edited picture I'm going to guess, since the article talks about the use of a serial connection.

Second, shell access is the ULTIMATE hack. In a UNIX system, EVERYTHING goes through the command line. Everything from The Finder to Quartz to Photoshop is invoked via the CLI, your GUI is just a way to make it pretty. Now that we have shell access, you can edit system files (like the kind that lock us out) to allow you to do nearly anything with your phone.

Maybe once the iPhone is completely hacked, I might actually be interested in it, because if I can trick mine out, whip up a document editor, get some MMS and maybe some video going on, I'll be interested. Especially if it does WPA Enterprise.

[jilie @ Jul 6th 2007 8:07PM]

yea!a shell access is a must for all the phone customers.. and with that keyboard, i think it's very revolutionary to upload ringtones via shell commands.. indeed indeed

[wh00t @ Jul 6th 2007 8:11PM]

All you need is gcc on that ;D

[Number_41 @ Jul 6th 2007 8:13PM]

I dont understand what this does...

[L. M. Lloyd @ Jul 6th 2007 8:14PM]

You know, both this and the Apple TV hacks really confuse me. On the one hand you have a bunch of people extolling the virtues of Apple, and saying how brilliant they are for putting out products with incredibly limited feature sets, because that is what "the rest of us" want. Then on the other hand you have people incredibly excited about hacking the devices to add all the functionality that Apple was supposedly so brilliant for leaving out, and then that is suddenly what is so great about Apple products, that you can hack them.

It makes no sense to me. It is either a good idea to lock down the device and limit the functionality, or it isn't. I hear time and time again that the problem with Symbian, or Windows Mobile, or PalmOS, or anything that isn't made by Apple is that it is too complicated, and you have to be some sort of hacker to get anything to work. Yet here we are all excited that some hackers might, after what will probably be weeks of work, add functionality that you can add to any of thoes other devices just by downloading and installing a program.

Are people really that enamored by pretty animations and transitions?

[murray @ Jul 6th 2007 8:23PM]

You've missed the point.

Hacking is fun.

[mike schapiro @ Jul 6th 2007 10:22PM]

The idea is that the people that don't feel like hacking their devices are happy with what they're given, and the ones that want more have fun hacking it on there. It's not the same people that want both things.

[nikster @ Jul 8th 2007 4:41AM]

Can I love the iPhone and still want a Sim-unlock hack?

I am excited about iPhone hacks because they will enable smart hackers who have fun doing it hacking it open so the rest of us can get around the lockdown limitation.

[Jason @ Jul 6th 2007 8:17PM]

Its a start, the device is barely a week old. This is major progress.

[kevokc @ Jul 7th 2007 4:25PM]

Boy the tech is moving fast. Glad there is something cool and useful in a phone.

[Aoedogg @ Jul 6th 2007 8:24PM]

I guess this means that iphone users will beable to copy and paste....

Yuss!

[Chris M @ Jul 7th 2007 12:04AM]

I think this whole copy+paste thing is going to be like how PC users cracked jokes about 'LOL only one button mouse LOL?'.

Even after the issue is resolved and conquered, it'll be that last little fall-back for haters.

Chris

[Unity Boy @ Jul 6th 2007 8:29PM]

First hacking then viruses and worms.

I can't wait to read the headline one day "BIG MAC ATTACK"! All OSX based products will be vunerable to the deadly iPoone virus!

Keep hacking boys!

[paloooz @ Jul 6th 2007 8:46PM]

You do realize, that in order to get shell access ... you need to have an iPhone?

I have shell access to my Linux box, but that doesn't mean it will get viruses ...

[Phour ZwanZig @ Jul 6th 2007 10:40PM]

"Big Mac Attack"

Hmm. That headline makes me think of a 50 story BigMac comming to take over the world..

Not a virus attack towards Mac. And if anything all that one might be able to do when they crack the iPhone wide open is maybe create a virus or 2 for the phone.. Not make the phone a virus.

[dayjah @ Jul 7th 2007 4:54AM]

Palooz you miss something here, though I agree with you in the grander scheme. Linux is hard to write virus's for because

a) the libs with exploitations get fixed quicker (average joe will not want to *keep* updating their iphone/itunes software)

and

b) the composition of linux boxes vary so much writing viruses is hard - this is why services get targeted rather than the OS (iphone is a pretty standard platform, so one exploit found should technically work across all iphones)

[paloooz @ Jul 7th 2007 12:35PM]

The only way to infect the iPhone with a "virus" as of yet would be to HAVE the iPhone, which means that the threat is non-existant.

I have shell access to my Linux box, and I can execute arbitrary code, but that doesn't mean I'm going to be running rm -R *

[Miles @ Jul 7th 2007 5:01PM]

OS X doesn't get viruses idiot.

[mike @ Jul 6th 2007 9:01PM]

I also believe that obtaining an access to a shell is a major breakthrough. But I think this one is not from the actual OS X though, it seems that it is just the shell of the bootloader. But if they can get this far, I think it takes just a few more effort/hacking to get the os to boot with a shell.

[Edward @ Jul 6th 2007 9:20PM]

Sure, we just need to set it to runlevel 3 or whatever is the equivalent in Darwin (sorry, I'm not a Darwin/BSD expert).

[majortom @ Jul 6th 2007 9:06PM]

So, the people friendly phone with no file browser or CLI...first hacks is to get a file browser and CLI...

[peshue @ Jul 6th 2007 9:14PM]

Cool hopefully soon you'll be able to edit word docs, copy and paste, and set your own ringtones. The iPhone has some pretty powerful hardware so if they can manage to run apps there could be some really cool stuff happening.

[majortom @ Jul 6th 2007 9:16PM]

and soon it might have all the function of a Windows Mobile phone

[Greg Tsadilas @ Jul 6th 2007 9:34PM]

My sentiments exactly Tom. If I want the iPhone frotn page layout, I can have it on my Windows Mobile 5 phone isong iLaunch. I already have finger scrolling/dialing/editing contacts with ContactManager (and I can even copy and paste).

But, I guess since my HTC Apache doesn't have an Apple logo on it, all that functionality that I have (and more) is a moot point. Meh

[Edward @ Jul 6th 2007 9:17PM]

This shell access is not a full Darwin shell as people are expecting like full MacOS X. This is a limited functionality firmware shell similar to that used on the PowerMac G5. The command "enable debug-uarts 1" should be a hint. The tftp stuff is there to pull down new kernel images.

As murray said, "hacking is fun". Doesn't matter whether it's an iPhone, a Roomba, or an Aibo. If you don't get it, you will never get it!

[Edward @ Jul 6th 2007 9:20PM]

Right, that's assuming someone will port Flash/Java from Win/x86 or MacOS X/x86 to MacOS X/ARM. It's not that simple, and there's no source code for Flash available (it's a tightly held Adobe secret).

[carlo @ Jul 6th 2007 9:59PM]

EXACTLY. Or any S60 phone.

Sure "hacking" is fun for a select few, but how many of those +500,000 early-adopters are going to want to hack their pricey phones and invalidate their AppleCare or whatever, that they bought for ease of use?

Example: I was watching ShinyMedia interview people lined up to buy the iPhone. The girl was offering 100 cash, an n95 AND an HTC Elf to people who had bought iPhones for a trade and they were saying, "heck no". The n95 goes for about 600 bucks, Elf for maybe 199, and 100 cash. Almost 900 to trade for a 499 phone, but these people lacked the common sense or deep knowledge of mobile phones to understand the value of the offer.

And these are the people who are gonna want to hack into their phones so they have basic functionality like file browsing and storage?

[iPhoner @ Jul 6th 2007 11:31PM]

Carlo you assume that because the person in line did not accept the n95 and the HTC Elf that was offered to them that they some how lack common sense or deep knowledge? Your conclusion isn't very well thought out.

Several things here;

Has it occured to you that hmmm... I dunno... maybe the person actually wanted their iPhone and didn't care for the n95 or the ELF? I don't care how cool you personally think those phones are, has it occured to you that the person in line does not share your sentiments? So you would have traded yours. Good for you. That doesn't mean anyone who doesn't take that trade is a fool. Especially since the person waited hours in line for the iPhone it is a foregone conclusion that they actually want the iPhone. I'm sure if they preferred the n95 they would have hit up Nokia.com already.

Second, if you think the person who didn't take the trade is a fool what does that say about the person offering the trade? According to you the n95 and the ELF are the best thing since pants with pockets so who in their right mind would voluntarily give it up? I know, someone who wants an IPHONE!!! In both of those scenarios the iPhone is far more valuable to those two than the $600 n95. So what does that tell you?

Third, when an offer is too good to be true; often times it isn't true. Those phones were probably DOA. There was no way the person could have known if the n95 and the ELF were both functional. Maybe it was a scam. If you would have been so gullible to take that trade then I have a bridge in Brooklyn I want to sell you.

I am a phone junky and I have heard and read extensively about a lot of different mobiles, even those NOT available in the US. But if anyone were to offer me any of those for my iPhone I would flat out tell them to go to hell. I want my iPhone. Yes that includes an offer for the Vertu or the LG Prada well. As far as I am concerned, the iPhone is the be all end all of phones.

[carlo @ Jul 7th 2007 12:05AM]

@iPhoner

I hope you read this because I'm going to address each of your points:

With regard to common sense or deep knowledge, I am relating their lack of familiarity with two well-known mobile devices to their desire to HACK into it so that it does more of what they want it to. The average person who will want to hack into their phone is going to have knowledge of what phones are out there, and will know that they are being offered 900 bucks for something that costs 499. So, you didn't weaken my argument there.

As for it occurring to me that the person actually wanted the iPhone, sure I knew because they obviously turned it down. I made my point to show that if they want a phone that does all of the things they'd have to hack it to enable it to do, they would have considered the other phones.

I didn't say that anyone who would trade is a fool, I said that those who wouldn't lack a certain amount of familiarity with devices and would THEREFORE be a lot less likely to want to hack into them, or know how--especially since so many comments relate hacking to being cool.

As for their waiting for hours in line, we all know that there were enough that they really didn't have to. They only did because they wanted to be the FIRST, and on that note, many of them were the first to be backed up in a long line of activations many of which didn't complete until well into the weekend.

Now, as for the iPhone being far more valuable to them, certainly it was because again, they turned the offer down. I'm not saying they didn't turn it down or that the iPhone wasn't valuable to them.

Also, you totally misquote me as saying that the Elf and n95 are cool phones. I said no such thing, I just referred to what they can do out of the box, and how much they cost. I didn't say they were better.

As to the truth of the offer, who cares? They weren't actually asking to trade, they were asking IF the person would trade. No one asked what the phones were, or how much they were worth, or anything like that. There was no inquiry by the askee, hence my conclusion that they are going to be a LOT less likely to want to hack the iPhone for functionality.

I'm an iPhone junky too and I bought and returned mine cuz it didn't do what I wanted it to and I didn't want to have to deal with hacking into it. If you are into telling people to go to hell because they make a hypothetical offer to you for interview's sake, then that's your business.

I'm not saying iPhone junkies don't want their iPhones, but I am saying the majority of them don't want to hack into them for functionality. They want their stuff to work out of the box. Hacking into it is not at the top of their list.

[Constable Odo @ Jul 7th 2007 12:23AM]

Some article I just read said that the iPhone will lead to massive e-Waste. After the market becomes flooded with millions upon millions of iPhones, everyone will be throwing away all their cellphones, smartphones, PDAs, media players (not iPods, though), and maybe even laptops. The garbage dumps and landfills will be overflowing with non-Apple junk. Damn, that is one powerful iPhone. Game over.

[I.M. Yerpappy @ Jul 7th 2007 1:15PM]

Straight to number one with a bullet...... I did it my effin way with an iPhone.....
http://video.on.nytimes.com/?fr_story=f390265dcbb9e1f1da97a69637e921d39b6c99aa

The bullet is for all iPhone hater's effin buttocks. You alien-human hybrid meat-heads.

[william @ Jul 10th 2007 9:44AM]

This is like a bad comedy, why would anyone argue on the internet? Does everyone have to like the same thing? Do 7 billion people stuck on one mud-ball need to agree? You guys are to funny. I will be buried with my Iphone. lol

http://jumi.lut.fi/~japalvia/pics/retard.gif

[kuzu-b @ Jul 6th 2007 11:02PM]

Well the iPhone just got a whole lot more interesting to me. The ability to walk around with a handheld multitouch interface device with the capabilities of what it COULD do would be well worth 600 dollars. Especially since I am already on ATT.

[Number_41 @ Jul 6th 2007 11:46PM]

So what does this mean again...?

[Number_41 @ Jul 7th 2007 12:03AM]

http://www.coolosxapps.net/2007/07/07/telekinesis-remotely-control-your-mac-with-your-iphone/


that link may be cooler.

[John @ Jul 7th 2007 12:04AM]

Just a matter of time before Apple (or Cisco I suppose) tries to shut down the IRC channel #iPhone

[Mikey @ Jul 10th 2007 7:11PM]

Fighting on line is like winning in the Special Olympics, even if you win, you’re still a retard.

[Carmen @ Jul 10th 2007 1:34PM]

Actually, Apple entered into an agreement with an environmental group (after much lobbying by activists) to accept ewaste created by its product turn-over. http://www.texasenvironment.org/ewaste_apple.cfm

Unfortunately, when I tried disposing an iPod shuffle to them, they wouldn't accept it. Their policy isn't being consistently applied.

[Constable Odo @ Jul 10th 2007 3:28PM]

I was really just exaggerating an article I read, so don't take it seriously. I'm not very aware of what is being done to recycle old electronics. Most of my stuff is still sitting in my basement taking up valuable space. Hopefully iPhones will last longer than the average cellphone but in this fast-paced electronic society, there will always be high rates of disposability. I don't know what to say about your iPod issue. I know there should be some accountability, but if it were me I'd just stick in a drawer and forget about it. I wish it were really easy to dispose of electronics. Say, like every few months a truck comes around and takes them. No such luck.

[Michael B. Titman @ Jul 7th 2007 12:31AM]

Sure thing.

[Mark Leeds @ Jul 7th 2007 3:53AM]

Dear Apple,

Please make one without the phone and with an 80GB hard drive. Keep everything else the same and sell for $399. I will buy one of those.

Skype and iChat with the camera in front would be fun.

I'm sure this is just the beginning.

[Gnu @ Jul 7th 2007 7:14AM]

Exactly. If Apple was going to drop the ball on the mobile phone end with crippled phone features and a lock into a provider with questionable voice service and the worst data network in the country, I wish they would have just forgotten about telephony and just released a Wi-Fi PDA.

And called it the Newton.

[I.M.Yerpappy @ Jul 20th 2007 12:17AM]

Gnu, whether it's a million-seller, substandard version 1.0 phone or not, it's still the Jesus phone and HIS name (Steve Jobs) alone should make you get on your knees and worship the iPhone. And while you're on your knees, you may bite my fig Newton. Can't ever teach these Dark Side wannabe 'emo' padawans anything nowadays.

[chris @ Jul 7th 2007 10:59AM]

does anyone have an estimate on how long we need to wait to play DOOM?