iPhone JailBreak Dictionary is a quick reference of important terms relevant to understanding the iPhone JailBreaking process.
Jailbreak
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Your iPhone has been designed with restrictions that prevent you from running applications obtained from sources other than Apple’s own iTunes App Store. To be able to install these applications, your iPhone needs to be jailBroken. JailBreaking allows you to read and write to the iPhone’s operating system’s partition, thereby liberating your iPhone from Apple’s software “jail”.
Confused ? Don’t worry, we’ll explain it all:
Partitioning is achieved when an operating system splits the memory into smaller separate units. Let’s make it real easy: Let’s take a pizza as the perfect example. The box the pizza was delivered in and the whole pizza represent your hard-drive on which you can store your files. So if you open the box, cut the pizza in half, that’s like splitting up your hard-drive into two pieces. That’s what partitioning is all about. The computer opens the box, sees the two halves of pizza and considers them to be two halves, although it’s one whole pizza.
Your iPhone operates in the same way. It uses two partitions, one media partition and one partition for the operating system. The media partition is where all your iTunes data is stored: music, movies, contacts, App Store apps , etc. This partition is usually the total size of your iPhone’s memory capacity, but deduct about 500-600 MB for the operating system partition. Apple has set up the iPhone’s partition in such a way that the hacking has to be done in the operating system’s partition which isn’t as easily accessible as the media partition.
The partition on which the operating system (iPhone OS) is installed is the space Apple has locked. This is where the jailbreak lies. Once we gain access to this partition, you can do a number of things, such as:
• Install unofficial (non-App Store) applications which weren’t accepted to the App Store (for one reason or another) or haven’t yet been submitted to the App Store
• Execute scripts and commands (for advanced users)
• Tweak the visual aspects of the iPhone’s OS
Jailbreaking brings these functionalities and a lot more to your device.
Tethered Jailbreak
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This type of jailbreak requires that you plug your iPhone/iPod into your computer with your usb cable and run the jailbreak each time you need to reboot the iDevice. This could be from a reboot after installing certain apps in Cydia/Rock, or from letting the battery die. It will often come boot back on with the iTunes logo showing on screen. You must connect your iDevice to your computer, close iTunes if it opens (and if on a windows system, it is a good idea to open the Task Manager – ctrl+alt+Del and go to the processes tab, look for and end task on iTunesHelper.exe – there will be some other apple functions running, but ONLY End Task on that one). Then run your jailbreak again (it will not “rejailbreak” it per say, you will not lose any information or cydia apps)
Baseband
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The baseband is a subsystem on the iPhone which manages all functions which require an antenna, like phone line communications etc. Modifying this subsystem is how unlocks are achieved. The baseband is separated from the OS and has it’s own processor and it’s own firmware. It’s firmware is called the baseband firmware. Baseband versions look like this: 4.01.13_G (1.1.1) 4.03.13_G (1.1.3). An iTunes restore will not modify the baseband of your iPhone unless your baseband is erased or downgraded prior to the restore.
Bootloader
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The bootloader is the first thing that is executed when the iPhone is powered on. There are two shipping bootloaders, 3.9 and 4.6. The bootloader can be downgraded using hacking methods. It is risky downgrading your bootloader because if something goes wrong, you cannot repair it. Bootloaders perform an integrity check on data and prevent unsigned, non-apple code from being loaded. They essentially police the iPhone’s OS, making sure everything is the way Apple want it to be. PwnageTool, WinPwn and QuickPwn patch out integrity checks from the bootloaders, allowing unsigned code to be executed.
iBoot
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iBoot is the bootloader for the application processor on the iPhone. iBoot is responsible for putting the iPhone into recovery mode. During a restore of the iPhone, iBoot makes sure that you are flashing a firmware version greater than or equal to the current one on your iPhone. If this isn’t the case, iBoot will not allow the restore process to proceed. This is why firmware downgrades have to be done in DFU mode. iBoot has an interactive interface which allows communication via USB or serial.
DFU Mode
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DFU Mode is a special mode in which the iPhone can still interact with iTunes, yet it does not load the iPhone OS or iBoot. The iPhone’s screen appear lifeless when in DFU mode, making it impossible to tell by looking at it whether the iPhone is in DFU or powered off. PwnageTool exploits a vulnerability when the iPhone is in DFU to flash custom firmware to the iPhone. As iBoot and the OS are not yet loaded, downgrading the firmware version if possible. To enter DFU mode:
• Plug iDevice into computer (first) and then turn it off. If you need iTunes open to detect it (for a restore) open it now. If you do not need it open (for jailbreaking) Make sure it is closed before putting into DFU mode
• Hold down the power button for 3 seconds – it will begin to power on
• Without releasing Power, press and hold the Home button. Keep both held in for 10 seconds
• Release ONLY the Power button. Keep Home held in for up to 30 seconds. Usually @ 20 seconds it will enter DFU mode.
• If properly in DFU Mode, the screen will be blank (as noted above) and if iTunes is open, it will give a message saying it detected an iPod/iPhone in “Recovery” mode. (it says Recovery in recovery mode or DFU mode).
Recovery Mode
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Recovery Mode is a state of iBoot that is used during standard upgrades and restores. As iBoot is active, it does not allow you to downgrade your device’s software. Unless it is ‘pwned,’ it will not allow custom firmware to be flashed.
Hacktivation
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Hacktivation is not much different from activation. There is only one slight difference. Activating your iPhone is done through iTunes in order to use it with an official carrier. Hacktivation is its equivalent for iPhones that don’t work with an official carrier and therefore need to be activated with a jailbreak tool.
Shift Restore
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This is a generic term used for iTunes. It means that instead of just clicking the Restore button to update (and wipe the OS) on your iPhone/iPod Touch you hold down the Shift key on a PC, or the Option key on a Mac and click on Restore. It will open a box that allows you to browse for and pick the firmware you wish to load onto the device. Alternately you can use this to load alternate carrier configuration files for iPhones (.ipcc). This was used mostly to add tethering and MMS to iPhones.
IMEI
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The IMEI number of your iPhone is unique. IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity. It is static (it never changes) and identifies your iPhone. All mobile phones have an IMEI number.
SIM
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A Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) is a small chip provided by your telephone carrier which contains your specific and unique data, like your phone number, your IMEI code and more. The SIM card is what identifies your phone on the cellular network, and is used by GSM and UMTS phones.
ECID
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Electronic Chip ID – A unique identifier that is device specific. Currently in the iPod Touch 3G and iPhone 3GS. It allows Apple to control which device is eligible to have which firmware loaded onto it. iPod 1G/2G and iPhone 2G/3G do not have ECID’s and are able to upgrade and downgrade firmwares regardless of the firmware being signed by Apple.
Springboard
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The iPhone’s main screen is called the SpringBoard. It may consist of several pages, depending on how many apps you have installed on your iPhone. The SpringBoard is where you choose which app you want to open.
SSH
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Secure Shell (SSH) is a method of file transfer for securely exchanging data between an iPhone and a computer (providing that the iPhone is jailBroken and OpenSSH is installed).
UMTS
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UMTS is the successor to GSM. It is a 3G, W-CDMA based network. It can also be expanded to 4G. This is the technology that iPhone 3G and 3GS uses.
Unlock
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Unlocking your device means opening up the iPhone’s modem to accept SIM cards from unofficial carriers. In some countries the iPhone is unlocked by default and not blocked for use with only one carrier. Such an iPhone can be used with any SIM card. In the USA for example, an iPhone will not connect to any carrier other than AT&T, unless it is unlocked. Just as the iPhone OS checks the applications that you interact with whenever you use your iPhone, the baseband processor controls your iPhone’s modem. The baseband processor has its own, separate firmware from the main operating system, called the baseband firmware. During most iPhone software updates, Apple updates the baseband firmware on the iPhone. The unlock lies in the baseband firmware. By patching out certain bytes, you can bypass the SIM check. For some devices, updating the baseband can mean that you won’t be able to unlock your iPhone anymore. Thankfully, the IPhone Dev Team has developed programms like PwnageTool which can disable the baseband to update when the iPhone’s software is updated, allowing the iPhone to remain unlocked and thus enjoy the latest version of the iPhone’s software. JailBreaking and activating are prerequisites for unlocking.
