Security experts cited by MIT Technology Review have found that the kernel of the first developer preview of iOS 10 is unencrypted, allowing anyone to examine the code. All previous iOS kernels have been encrypted by Apple.
The heart of an operating system is a component known as the kernel, which controls how programs can use a device’s hardware and enforces security. Apple has previously encrypted the kernel in iOS releases, hiding its exact workings and forcing researchers to find ways around or through it. But the kernel was left unobfuscated in the preview version of iOS 10 released to developers last week for the most recent Apple devices.
As the piece notes, this doesn’t compromise the security of iOS 10, and there are both pros & cons to making it available for inspection. Security researchers are unsure whether the move was intentional or a mistake …
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