Checkm8.info, an underground hacking forum is offering users a convenient way to strip ‘activation lock’ from iPhones with its pay-for-hacking service. However, iOS security analysts believe the hackers are tricking people to remove protections from stolen iPhones.
Activation lock essentially prohibits anyone from activating the device until the owner enters the requested credentials. The lock is enabled when the administrator sets up Find My, the Apple service that allows people to track the location of their iPhone, Mac, or Apple Watch.
“Activation Lock,” a text popup across the iPhone’s screen read. “This iPhone is linked to an Apple ID. Enter the Apple ID and password that were used to set up this iPhone.”
The hackers are using checkra1n, an open-source jailbreaking tool published in 2019. Checkra1n employs an exploit called checkm8 designed by the developer known as Axi0mX.
According to checkm8.info’s website, Checkm8 is only applicable for devices running iOS versions 12 to 14.8.1 because the latest iPhones have updated bootrom code that is not susceptible to checkm8.
A video posted on checkm8.info’s website shows how smoothly the process of using the checkm8.info tool is. A user only needs to download the software, install it, open it up, and finally plug it into Mac or PC. Subsequently, the site charges $69.99 per license.
“Done! You have successfully bypassed the iCloud activation lock on your device,” the video’s female narrator explains.
Additionally, Checkm8.info provides a service called “Bypass iPhone Passcode.” This service tool is not identical to established iPhone unlocking services such as Cellebrite and GrayShift.
“This service restores the device to factory settings and activates it as a new device using a saved activation ticket from the system. So basically, this method has nothing with brute-forcing or user data leak. Passcode phrase is a common name used by other tools for this service so we decided to give it the same name,” the checkm8.info administrator explained.
Three years ago in 2019, security researcher axi0mX uncovered checkm8, an exploit that enabled the jailbreak of millions of iOS devices. The exploit lay in the bootrom of the compromised devices.
Before 2019, the last iOS bootrom-based jailbreak was published way back in 2009, making the Checkm8 exploit even more astonishing feet since many believed the hardware avenue for rooting devices had long been shut down closed.