We have an update on the AIM push problem we wrote about this morning. The problem only affects jailbroken iPhones 2 and 3G running the homebrew app Pushfix. If you are in this sad number please restore to the original firmware or risk seeing your IMs spread far and wide.
Pushfix is a homebrew app that “repairs” push functionality on Jailbroken apps. The iPhone Dev Team, the same folks who unlocked the iPhone in the first place, created it to help us lowly users but they left a fatal flaw in the program. It seems they used a single UDID – Unique Device ID – for the fix. This in turn creates a sort of broadcast network of multiple jailbroken phones running Pushfix that report back to the push servers with the same UDID. The result? When you push to one, you push to all.
Obviously this problem will be seen in a few rare cases – and it could have already been fixed – but this brings up an important point about cloud-based computing: What happens when the cloud is broken? Because Apple chose to run this dog and pony show called Push from its own centralized server, there is no guarantee that anything will go anywhere – just a warm and fuzzy expectation that Apple just wouldn’t screw up.
This exploit/problem has come about because a user did something unsanctioned and unexpected on the iPhone. While the average user doesn’t even know that Pushfix exists – I certainly didn’t – these homebrew solutions are like slime mold infecting the delicious mozzarella cheese that is Apple’s Push technology. Sadly, these problems will crop up more and more in closed, black box systems and we will often be none the wiser – until it’s too late.
Now that is a stupid thing to do. by the way the problem is not in the cloud in this case but in the pushfix app installed on the clients (phones) ; unless i’m reading something wrong
the problem is that there’s no real authentication by device. you could feasibly spoof another person’s UDID and get their push, easy as pie. this problem just exposed the real issue.
I m not familiar with the push notifications api, but if that’s the case, then yes, it’s a fundamental flaw.
plus it paves the way for “mobile viruses”
mmm…slime mold on mozzarella cheese.
However, I don’t think that homebrew is slime mold on Apple Products. Cydia, Apple TV hacks, etc = great toppings on a good pizza.
one person’s slime mold is another person’s toppings. I agree that jailbreaking is great but there is a price to pay if the homebrew is janky.
pretty much the reason I don’t jailbreak
Pretty much shows your understanding of the topic. Jailbreaking doesn’t cause this issue.
I’ve been happily jailbroken and unlocked on T-Mobile for about 2 years now with no issues. I didn’t install this “push fix” because it was plain as day that it was a hack. The dev team said it still has problems and was more of a test. They also said if you want working push, then activate with a valid AT&T SIM before doing the unlock and it will work fine.
Really? It has nothing to do with jailbreaking and more to do with the fact that you unlocked your phone. Seriously, expect this to happen when you decide to run on T-Mobile. Yes, the pushfix “fix” was poorly executed but the fact that such a glaring security vulnerability can exist should be the story not the fact that the hack does not work.
@davebroham – do as you like but if you stay on at&t you can jailbreak your phone and experience no problems.
None of this would be a problem if Apple had simply designed the iphone properly and included multi-tasking as an option rather than having to fudge it with “push” notifications. Another reason why the iphone is a fail product.
I love it when people use the word “simply” to pretend that thing’s aren’t difficult.
I think you mean’t allow multi-tasking. Not only is it simple, its already possible…with jailbreaking. Too bad that will mess up push…oh wait, no it wont.
sigh.
“Sadly, these problems will crop up more and more in closed, black box systems and we will often be none the wiser…”
Someone jailbroke their phone, installed a hack on it which in turn broke push functionality… and it’s Apple’s problem?
This has nothing to do with UDIDs, rather, certificates. The problem with pushfix is it installs the same certificate on whatever phone it’s installed on, so there could potentially be thousands of phones using the same certificate.
Of course the APNS is going to get confused when it’s not sure what phone to send it to!
That’s why the devteam’s manual way is more secure; it requires you copying the certificate from another device that you own, therefore there’s at most two devices sharing the certificate – less potential for things like what we have here!
Again, pushfix installs the *same* certificate on *every* device.
This is why it’s recommended to officially activate through iTunes (if possible) as then you’re given an official, legitimate unique certificate for APNS/YouTube interaction.
Please learn the facts before you post articles. This is not due to JAILBREAKING but due to UNLOCKING. There is a big difference. Jailbreaking the device has no effect on on the push functionality.
I am JB and push works just dandy.