Upon completion of the WWDC conference earlier this month, Apple released a preview of iOS 10 for developers. Unlike previous versions of the platform, it included a great surprise: an unencrypted kernel.
For those who don't know we refer to the core of the operating system, which controls how applications can use a device's hardware components and implements various protocols security.
Leaving the kernel uncovered does not mean that iOS 10 will be prone to attacks. Instead, Apple's new approach leaves more room for researchers to find ways to make the kernel safer.
So while at first everyone thought it was a very big mistake on the company's part, Apple issued a statement stating that the movement this was intentional:
"With the fromencryption (of the kernel) we will be able to optimize the performance of the operating system without compromising security.”
Apple did not specify how the event could improve performance, but there is a clear benefit to decrypting the kernel: iOS friends will be able to discover errors and report them to the company before the final version is released and installed in millions Appliances.
MIT's Technology Review says this approach could help closing more security flaws in Apple's software and make it more difficult for government agencies to gain unauthorized access to the company's devices, as they did in the case of the San Bernardino iPhone .
However, Apple would do well to further incentivize developers to report bugs by launching aletterof the bug bounty. The company's rivals Google and Microsoft already have similar initiatives. It seems that Apple has decided to get in on the game as well.
Here, we should mention that the opening of the iOS kernel will probably upset jailbreakers as the species is expected to disappear.