The logic board and components of a disassembled iPhone 3GS laid out on a white table. Photo: IGeeksBlog, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fans of jailbreaking used to say the risks were exaggerated. Critics said a jailbroken phone was an open door. The truth sits in between, and the record of real incidents is the best guide.
Real incidents
- iKee (2009). The first known iPhone worm spread only to jailbroken phones that had an SSH server installed and still used the well-known default root password. Its first version simply changed the wallpaper to a picture of Rick Astley. A later variant tried to steal data and connect phones to a botnet.
- Unflod (2014). Malicious code found on some jailbroken devices that tried to capture Apple ID credentials as they were sent over the network.
- KeyRaider (2015). Researchers at Palo Alto Networks reported malware spread through unofficial repositories that stole credentials for around 225,000 Apple accounts from jailbroken devices.
The common thread: none of these hit ordinary, unmodified iPhones. They relied on users installing packages from untrusted sources or leaving default passwords in place.
The structural risks
- Weaker sandboxing. Tweaks inject code into system processes, so one buggy or malicious package can see far more than a normal app.
- Delayed updates. Jailbreakers often hold back iOS updates to keep the jailbreak, which leaves known holes open.
- Unknown code. Packages from random repositories are rarely reviewed by anyone.
- Stability. Crashes, boot loops and battery drain were common and could end in a full restore.
Accounts that hold money
The higher the value of what is on the phone, the bigger the risk. Banking apps, crypto wallets and sportsbook or online casino accounts are tempting targets because stolen credentials can be turned into cash. That is one reason those apps check for jailbreaks. If you keep any of them on your phone, a stock, updated iPhone is the safer choice; see our phone security checklist for betting accounts.
If you still run a jailbroken device
- Use it as a spare, not as your main phone.
- Do not sign in to banking, payment or betting apps on it.
- Change any default passwords and only use well-known repositories.
- When you are done, restore it to stock iOS before selling or giving it away.