Monday, July 9,2007 @ 2:05pm
Hackers gain iPhone shell access
Several hackers claim to have successfully accessed a full interactive shell on Apple's iPhone, which could enable technically-oriented users to make modifications or changes to the software installed on the phone beyond Apple's Web-based development movement. Hackers collaborating over Internet Relay Chat (IRC) appear to have brought up a serial console for the iPhone using the same pinouts as Apple's iPod serial connection. Those involved suggest using a resistor rated at around 6.8k from pin 21 to ground, then instruct users to tie pin 11 (serial ground) to the real ground. Following those changes interested users may send the following commands in recovery mode: 'setenv debug-uarts 1,' 'saveenv,' and 'reboot.' The hackers note however that users attempting to bring up a serial console need a level converter, such as the Max 232.