A group of specialists has found a way to jailbreak HomePod, Apple’s smart speaker that can only be linked to the iDevices product family. Thanks to this method, developed by hackers Checkra1n and L1ngL1ng, it was possible to connect the smart speaker with Android devices in addition to other systems.
It is well known that Apple has made considerable efforts to ensure that its devices have unique features and capabilities, which has been appealing to hackers and developers looking to “free” Apple devices from their factory restrictions.
Engadget specialists mention that the hackers L1ngL1ng and Checkra1n created this jailbreak, allowing you to explore more features of this device, which is sold only to work with other devices developed by Apple.
“Partial” support for HomePod features is limited to Apple devices, including iPhone, iPad, MacBooks, or iMac. All of this may change when using the jailbreak method and software. This method allows users to connect their HomePods with Android operating system smartphones. This method is not yet available for HomePod Mini version.
Users interested in using this jailbreak method should remember that any alterations not made to an Apple Customer Service Center will completely invalidate the device warranty.
Another factor that users should remember is that Apple is always looking to fix security flaws on their devices, so jailbreaking is highly likely only to work with the current version of homepod. In this case, the creators of the jailbreak will also need to develop a new method to evade these restrictions.
According to a tweet posted by hacker L1ngL1ng, checkra1n joined his team to create jailbreak for HomePod systems.
The Checkra1n website releases beta version 0.12.1 for HomePod jailbreak, which is available only on macOS and Linux. This jailbreak must have the HomePod connected to a computer for it to install and work, as HomePods do not have a user interface by themselves.
He is a well-known expert in mobile security and malware analysis. He studied Computer Science at NYU and started working as a cyber security analyst in 2003. He is actively working as an anti-malware expert. He also worked for security companies like Kaspersky Lab. His everyday job includes researching about new malware and cyber security incidents. Also he has deep level of knowledge in mobile security and mobile vulnerabilities.
