New Baseband Exploit Found [Updated 2/11]

[thelatinist]

In case anyone hasn't been following the relevant Twitter accounts, MuscleNerd seems to be confirming an exploitable crash discovered by sherif_hashim in the new 05.12.01 baseband. The Dev Team has the exploit, and whether they choose to release an updated ultrasn0w now or wait for 4.0 is entirely up to them (I suspect the latter). But today's a good day, whatever they decide.

From MuscleNerd's Twitter:

@sherif_hashim yep that's a very nice find you made...congrats!
about 7 hours ago from web in reply to sherif_hashim

Update from the Dev-Team Blog 02/11/2010:

Those following twitter may have seen some recent very early developments in the 05.12 unlock situation. One of our more helpful commenters sherif_hashim...found what looks like a very promising crash in the new baseband. He’s put in a lot of work looking for crashes over this past year, and he’s still looking for more! We’ve started to look at his crash but it’s a long road between any given crash and a fully working unlock, and we couldn’t put an ETA on it even if we wanted to. It’s not even guaranteed that an working unlock will come from this particular crash — it’s just too early to tell.

 

[Vandam500]

This is awesome! I think they should wait for 4.0

 

[Applejuiced]

Nice, I hope they keep it for when it counts.
3.1.3 is nothing compared to what 4.0 could be along with maybe a jb for the next iPhone.

 

[anjinha]

Why should they wait? Isn't it likely that 4.0 will have a new baseband?

 

[Djlild7hina]

yeah but apple probably won't patch the exploit if they don't know what it is =P

Why should they wait? Isn't it likely that 4.0 will have a new baseband?

 

[pcs are junk]

now all they need is to make an untethered jailbreak! lol.

 

[dhlizard]

@ thelatinest

When I messaged you about this, I passed on posting it, fearing it might start a "whine-fest".

But, to my surprise, not bad so far

 

[thelatinist]

I passed on posting it, fearing it might start a "whine-fest".

I was a little worried, too. But I figured someone would post it eventually and it might as well be done right.

 

[rgarjr]

This is awesome! I think they should wait for 4.0

Well u never know, maybe Apple will use a totally different thing on the OS 4.0

 

[Penguissimo]

now all they need is to make an untethered jailbreak! lol.

If only there were any connection between the baseband and iBoot

Well u never know, maybe Apple will use a totally different thing on the OS 4.0

If it turns out Apple has plugged this hole in 4.0, at least they can then theoretically release an unlock based on this exploit for everyone still on 3.1.x...

 

[Tensakun]

Good news!

Sounds like good news! Hope the exploits keep mounting. Would be nice if there were enuf usable workarounds to spare one for those of us stranded at 3.1.3. In any case, will keep watching these boards and think many times before upgrading again.

 

[dhlizard]

Update (via a tweet)

Musclenerd confirmed it working ))) timing of 5.12 unlock release is totally the dev team opinion /via @sherif_hashim - Good job sir!
about 19 hours ago from Tweetie

 

[scirica]

Whether we get to use it or not, this is good news to know that their are still holes out there. Nice work!

 

[jav6454]

Hold the exploit until 4.0 is released... let us just ride blacksnow.

 

[ngenerator]

I agree, I say hold onto it until 4.0. Maybe this will let the unlockers who updated sweat a bit.
Make them finally understand how important it is to NOT update every time they see a popup in iTunes. I'm on ATT, so I'm not one of them, I'm just sick of the whiners saying they updated and their lives are ruined. Just my $0.02

 

[bradl]

This can go either way. If they use the exploit now and put out a JB and perhaps unlock, Apple will fix the hole.

If they don't, are they going to put all their eggs in a single basket and hope that Apple doesn't find the exploit themselves all the way through to 4.0? That's a long time to hope and put a single bet on.

Like I said, I see it going both ways, but they could be, as the saying goes, looking a gift horse in the mouth.

BL.

 

[leons]

Someone clarify for me (and others)

Does THIS new exploit give any hope (regardless of when DT may release it) to
3.3/3GS/New Bootrom users?

 

[pcs are junk]

no because you cant jailbreak yet. once u can jailbreak on 3.1.3 for 3gs's with new bootrom, then you can unlock with the new exploit...whenever they decide to release it. so probably not for a while.

 

[leons]

ok....so no "hope" yet = the POSSIBILITY that a new bootrom exploit for 3.1.3 will never be found

 

[thelatinist]

ok....so no "hope" yet = the POSSIBILITY that a new bootrom exploit for 3.1.3 will never be found

I think you are confusing two things. You seem to be talking about the new bootrom which results in tethered jailbreaks. That's not what this exploit is for. This is an exploit in the baseband (a.k.a. modem firmware), and could allow phones with the new baseband to SIM-unlocked for use on any carrier. Jailbreaking and unlocking are two different things.

 

[mkrishnan]

Excellent news. Hopefully this will unleash a new generation of unlocks.

 

[thelatinist]

If they don't, are they going to put all their eggs in a single basket and hope that Apple doesn't find the exploit themselves all the way through to 4.0?

The all-eggs-in-one-basket analogy is misleading. It's more like putting the one egg you have in a basket rather than eating it right now. Sure, that basket might fail and you might never get to eat that egg for breakfast tomorrow morning; but if you eat it now you'll definitely have dry toast tomorrow.

Holding off releasing this exploit might only have a 50% chance of giving us an unlock for 4.0, but that 50% chance becomes 0% if it's used now. And who knows whether there will be another exploit? I think a 50% chance of unlocking 4.0 is more important than a 100% chance of unlocking 3.1.3.

 

[Applejuiced]

The all-eggs-in-one-basket analogy is misleading. It's more like putting the one egg you have in a basket rather than eating it right now. Sure, that basket might fail and you might never get to eat that egg for breakfast tomorrow morning; but if you eat it now you'll definitely have dry toast tomorrow.

Holding off releasing this exploit might only have a 50% chance of giving us an unlock for 4.0, but that 50% chance becomes 0% if it's used now. And who knows whether there will be another exploit? I think a 50% chance of unlocking 4.0 is more important than a 100% chance of unlocking 3.1.3.

I agree.
The way it is now it will mostly benefit those that were not carefull and updated to 3.1.3 without thinking. Hope they don't bite into Apples game and give away the next potential unlock that could unlock all 3G, 3GS and maybe the next iPhone

 

[thelatinist]

Seems the Dev-Team is being cautiously optimistic. I've just updated the original post with a quote from their latest blog entry.

 

[pcs are junk]

uggh! why cant they just try it out?