Apple's iOS 7 Lightning Connector Authentication Check 'Permanently' Cracked

As noted just after the launch of the first iOS 7 beta earlier this month, the operating system is capable of detecting when unauthorized Lightning cables or accessories are plugged into an iOS 7 device. While the system alerts the user with dialog box that must be manually dismissed, it does not prevent the unauthorized cables and accessories from working with the device at this point.

iPhone5mod, the Chinese firm that was among the first to begin offering Lightning accessories last year while Apple had yet to authorize official accessories and was struggling to keep up with demand for its own Lightning cables, now claims to have cracked Apple's iOS 7 authentication and is now offering new cables compatible with the upcoming operating system.


iPhone5mod's Cyril Chang says that his company's effort is a hardware crack that can not be worked around by Apple without changing its own Lightning hardware, and iPhone5mod is offering a money-back guarantee that its new cables will work with the final release of iOS 7.

Chang warns that several other companies have claimed to have achieved similar cracks, but that in iPhone5mod's testing those companies' cables still generate alerts under certain circumstances.

iPhone5mod's cables, docks and accessories are all being updated with the new cracked Lightning chips, with production already underway.

Update 10:56 AM: Chang tells MacRumors that the new Lightning cables with cracked authentication continue to function properly under iOS 7 beta 2, which was released today.

Related Forum: iOS 7

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Top Rated Comments

rdas7 Avatar
154 months ago
Oh phew! Now cheap knockoff cables can finally set fire to your iPhone 5 without that annoying warning popup!!
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dennno Avatar
154 months ago
Seriously they could have diverted all this effort to "crack" the authentication to refining their product to become an approved accessory provider.

Why would people bother buying this? If they have to bypass the authentication then something is clearly wrong with this cheap Chinese product.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
uiop. Avatar
154 months ago
Until Apple decides $20 is unreasonable for a charging cable, I have no shame in buying knockoffs. If I were to have purchased all genuine Apple Lightning cables for all the chargers around my house and in my car, I'd have spent ~$120, not including the USB chargers.

The argument of "You get what you pay for" is not really useful either. I've been using said cables for months and they have no signs of abnormal wear, nor have they spontaneously combusted, or whatever some people believe will happen to them. Good for the company who cracked the authentication code for iOS 7. Apple's current pricing system is an absolute money-making sham.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DotCom2 Avatar
154 months ago
Apple could prevent all this by just charging a reasonable price for their cables.
PROBLEM SOLVED!
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lifeinhd Avatar
154 months ago
If they have to bypass the authentication then something is clearly wrong with this cheap Chinese product.

No, something is wrong with Apple's outrageous licensing fees. No one wants to pay that ransom.

The problem is on Apple's end.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
i.mac Avatar
154 months ago
Another crapware company stealing IP from apple.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)