iJailBreak 0.3 brings 3rd-party apps to iPod touch

Thirteen-year old hacker "AriX" has released an updated version of his iPod touch hacking utility: iJailBreak 0.3 offers an easy, automated way for users to crack Apple's device and install third-party applications, well ahead of Apple's expected February launch of official third-party applications. iJailBreak 0.3, available under the GPL, now offers support for PowerPC-based Macs and the ability to install iPhone Apps to your iPod touch. It also offers an integrated update system so that users can be automatically notified of updates to the application (as well as automatically download and install those updates).

iJailBreak relies on the TIFF exploit outlined here a few weeks ago -- the same used by other third-party utilities to jailbreak (i.e., "hack into") an iPhone or unlock it for use on a third-party network. According to the developer, the exploit uses a deliberately malformed TIFF image file to trick the iPod operating system into executing code contained within the file.

Earlier this week, the iPhone Dev Team released iPhone 1.1.1 unlock software that works around security measures and other changes taken by Apple with its latest update -- after it warned users that its v1.1.1 and other software updates may damage unlocked (other software-modified) phones. A similar jailbreak method was developed for the iPhone 1.1.1 software but has yet to be automated.

Filed under: iPod