As far as Apple is concerned, rarely does the Cupertino company overlook something important such as encryption. But for some reason, an unencrypted iOS 10 beta came out in the open though security experts claim that it was part of Apple’s grand plan.
iOS 10 beta 1 was released Wednesday and the unencrypted part makes it easier to expose flaws in the code. It goes against the usual practice of Apple as far as safeguarding the operating system, making it more difficult for hackers to tweak and place devices in a compromising position.
“That doesn’t mean the security of iOS 10 is compromised,” reports MIT Technology Review. “But looking for flaws in this version of the operating system will be much easier.”
Piercing the heart of Apple devices
Whether the move was intention or not, it would be best to explain why the kernel brings a lot of controversy. One is that the kernel is the heart of an operating system, meaning it manages how programs can use the device’s hardware and how it adopts necessary security measures to safeguard it.
To cut it short, Apple is believed to be applying a different kind of approach to see how people would exploit the situation which would eventually allow them to address flaws once the official copy is brought out in the open as pointed out by the Cult of Mac.
iOS 10 is believed to be coming this Fall and the betas are technically guinea pigs to expose flaws and vulnerabilities.
Genius or Ingenious ploy
The angle of purposely releasing an unencrypted iOS 10 beta 1 can be seen as an genius or ingenious ploy that can technically open a big can of worms.
Though Apple has managed to fend of jailbreaking for its mobile operating system, iOS 10 beta 1 could be another good example to test how well developers on their and are safeguarding iOS updates.
If flaws are revealed quickly and widely, it will reduce the prices law enforcement and black markets will pay for them — and it could mean quicker fixes for Apple’s customers according to Tech Crunch.