Apple iOS
A fake Apple iPhone 6s (L), which sells at RMB 580 ($91) is seen beside a fake iPhone 6 Plus, which sells at RMB 630 ($99), both running the Android operating system with iOS look-alike interfaces, are seen in this photo illustration taken in Shenzhen, China, September 21, 2015. Reuters/Staff

iOS 11 is still in the beta stages, but it seems some folks have already found a way to possibly entice an iOS 11 jailbreak. But before that, it would be best to point out that the crack was made on versions likely to be patched and improved with other upcoming betas. Some hackers, though, are likely to take note of the flaws.

This time around, it is not Pangu or Lucas Todesco who achieved the iOS 11 jailbreak. Rather, it is a new name in the mix, Liang Chen of Tenent Keen Lab. For those familiar with the names cropping up when it comes to iOS JB tools, Chen could be seen as part of a security team who tried their luck to take on the iOS 11 jailbreak challenge. His breakthrough was shared on Twitter.

This development should get folks up and jumpy, particularly those who have yet to see a working JB tool since the iOS 9.3.3 jailbreak. But before digging deeper into that, the Apple jailbreaking community is reminded that Chen’s alleged iOS 11 jailbreak is done via an iOS 11 beta, its only intent seems to fish out the flaws.

What it was able to prove is that the next big Apple mobile OS is far from perfect, hinting at more issues looming. There is no official release date for iOS 11 as of writing, though most are under the impression that one will come out by September alongside the iPhone 8.

With regards to the breakthrough of Chen, seeing an actual iOS 11 jailbreak may or may not happen. Similar to the efforts of Pangu, TaiG and Todesco, the potential jailbreak could come out only after Apple officials roll out the successor to the buggy iOS 10. Hence, it will be another round of cat-and-mouse between Apple and the hackers; the Cupertino company is likely keeping tabs on Chen’s breakthrough and figuring out how he was able to break the code.

As with previous iOS jailbreaking efforts, Chen’s accomplishment should be taken lightly for now. It is a beta version, which means chinks are only expected. Pangu did it with iOS 10 but never really rolled it out at MOSEC 2016. Could Chen’s accomplishment follow Pangu’s inability to release a working iOS jailbreak tool? If he does come out with one, he stands to be the new face of iOS jailbreakers, the numbers of which have been dwindling for the past months.

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