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Windows RT Jailbreak Tool Released

Posted by samzenpus on from the right-tool-for-the-job dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Earlier this week, reports surfaced that the Windows RT operating system had been jailbroken to allow for the execution of unsigned ARM desktop applications. Microsoft quickly issued a statement saying it does not consider the findings to be part of a security vulnerability, and applauded the hacker for his ingenuity. Now, a Windows RT jailbreak tool has been released."

14 of 101 comments (clear)

  1. Re:windows rt by Fluffeh · · Score: 5, Insightful

    what'sthat?

    A new and innovative way to lock hardware to only the applications that you want your users to run.

    *sips coffee*

    Oh, and apparently it failed to live up to the owners expectations to be locked down.

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  2. Kudos by gadzook33 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Kudos to MS for being good sports about it.

    1. Re:Kudos by DavidClarkeHR · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Kudos to MS for being good sports about it.

      Why wouldn't they? Now that I can run (and compile) my own programs on it, I'd be willing to buy a windows RT tablet.

      Well ... maybe.

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      - Nec Impar Pluribus, or so I'm told.
    2. Re:Kudos by Jerry+Atrick · · Score: 4, Informative

      They don't have a lot of choice. The 'hack' leverages the debug support. Can't remove that support while they desperately need devs and it won't be easy to safely plug exploits via it. While the debugger is available there's no point blocking the exploit, it's certain another will be found as quickly as they can fix them.

      In a few months when they've had time to decide if RT is worth continuing expect them to do something drastic disruptive to block jailbreaks. While it's struggling there's no point.

  3. Applause? by guttentag · · Score: 4, Insightful

    We applaud the ingenuity of the folks who worked this out and the hard work they did to document it. We’ll not guarantee these approaches will be there in future releases.

    Translation: Thank you for carefully documenting how you jailbroke our new operating system. Your documentation will help us close that hole, even though it poses no security risk.

    1. Re:Applause? by AdamStarks · · Score: 4, Informative

      They could also just be reminding everyone that this "feature" is not officially supported. It's very possible that there are legitimate reasons to change the implementation of the security mechanism in ways that break the tool.

      Keep in mind they didn't take any action against the homebrew Kinect stuff.

    2. Re:Applause? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      Linus Torvald hereby announces that he will be the only person with Root access on all Linux systems. He will not share the passwords with anybody.

      Theo removes Root access even from himself.

  4. Re:windows rt by Decker-Mage · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Actually Microsoft had the same response, after thinking a bit, to the jailbreaking of Windows Phone 7. No matter how hard you try, if one human, or group of humans, comes up with a protection scheme, another will figure out a way through or around it. Nature of the beast and the sooner others (Sony!?) get a clue, the sooner everyone can start thinking of more innovative things to do rather than waste resources this way.

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    "[I]t is a wise man who admits the limits of his knowledge or skill, and that pretending either causes harm." --Terry Go
  5. ARMless by OhANameWhatName · · Score: 5, Funny

    allow for the execution of unsigned ARM desktop applications

    Awesome! Quick, somebody write some applications!

    1. Re:ARMless by Gwala · · Score: 3, Informative

      Actually it looks like it does from my own examination of a Surface - it's just locked so that only Microsoft can use it.

      --
      #!/bin/csh cat $0
  6. Re:windows rt by Microlith · · Score: 5, Insightful

    And then you end up in the situation jailbreakers are with iOS 6. There is still no jailbreak for the platform. And when one is released, Apple will patch it.

    Playing silly cat and mouse games with vendors that do this is effort and time wasted. If you see value in using devices you purchase as you see fit, then buy from vendors that don't deliberately interfere with you and make those devices and the software for them better.

  7. congrats! by DrEldarion · · Score: 3, Funny

    I'm sure the three people using windows rt are grateful.

  8. Microsoft applauded the hacker for his ingenuity by hcs_$reboot · · Score: 4, Informative

    I was not used to that behavior... Things change at Microsoft!

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  9. Re:windows rt by Microlith · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I see it as the best of both worlds.

    But its not. You're patronizing a hostile vendor.

    I do like Apple's walled garden because of the polish, quantity, and diversity of the app offerings, but I want to be able to knock a hole in that wall every now and then when I want to do something they don't want me to do (wifi tethering, custom lock screens, custom notification badges, etc).

    Then perhaps the right answer is, instead of giving money to a company that is hostile to you, that you should look around for a vendor who provides what you want. Android's done a good job at crippling that market however.

    They get to lock down the OS so the vast majority of non tech-savvy customers don't wind up breaking their precious iDevices installing malware, but the holes still exist for the more adventurous users.

    No. iOS 6 proves that this argument is and always has been shit. Apple doesn't give a flying fuck about jailbreakers and will fight them until they've got nothing and thus far Apple is winning.

    However, if they ever succeed in truly battening down the hatches and making jailbreaking impossible, I'll be forced to jump ship.

    You'll eventually jump ship.