Do Rooted or Jailbroken Devices Raise Security Concerns?
by Pragati Jain, Fiberlink
Apple unveiled iOS 5 in the recently concluded Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) and it has already been
jailbroken. Jailbreaking (or rooting for Android
devices) is a common and popular activity that many smartphone owners engage in without worrying about its security and legal implications. Many blogs dauntlessly talk about ‘top 10 apps for
jailbroken devices’ or ‘tips for managing your apps on your rooted
devices’. It sets my mind reeling with the million dollar question: Do rooted or
jailbroken devices raise security concerns?
If you are a smartphone newbie, let me explain what jailbreaking or rooting a device means. Mobile OS vendors and service providers often impose some limitations on the usage of the smartphone device. Jailbreaking or rooting the device means fiddling with the smartphone operating system to remove these limitations and gain complete access to the phone’s features. After the device is
jailbroken, users can install any third party applications, download live wallpapers and gain unlimited access to ringtones, etc. On the downside, this often means a violation of the device warranty; the device becomes more
vulnerable to malware attacks; and it may result in the loss of personal and confidential information. Additionally, installing any future OS updates on the device can break the jailbreak and render the device useless. In short, after jailbreaking the device becomes unstable and
vulnerable to attacks from cyber criminals.
So,
jailbroken or rooted
devices have some severe security implications. But the following tips and practices can help device owners circumvent the shortcomings and ensure the data on their
jailbroken device is secured:
- Always turn off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when you are not using them.
- Enforce strong password policies on your device.
- Ensure encryption is always enabled on your backup files.
- Ensure your devices are up to date with the relevant security patches and firmware updates to maintain the healthy state of the device.
- Use a VPN when accessing Internet from public Wi-Fi hot spots.
- Data wipe must be turned on for lost or stolen devices.
- Download applications for your smartphone only from trusted sources or official sites. Check permissions on the application before downloading them.