Usbliter8 project brings iOS 27 jailbreak closer

A developer project has demonstrated an experimental jailbreak process for iOS 27 on Apple’s iPhone 11 Pro, using the hardware-level usbliter8 exploit and a heavily modified firmware restoration workflow.

The open-source project, known as usbliter8-fun, is designed solely for security researchers and experienced developers. Its creator warns that the procedure erases the device, disables several core functions and can leave the handset unsuitable for ordinary use.

The proof of concept currently supports only the iPhone 11 Pro, identified internally as iPhone12,3. That model uses Apple’s A13 Bionic processor, one of the chips affected by the usbliter8 vulnerability disclosed in June.

Unlike conventional jailbreaks that exploit weaknesses within iOS, usbliter8 targets SecureROM, the immutable code embedded in an Apple processor during manufacturing. SecureROM forms the earliest stage of the secure boot process and verifies the software loaded when a device starts.

A vulnerability at that level cannot be fully repaired through an iOS update on hardware that has already shipped. Apple can strengthen later parts of the boot chain, however, and impose additional protections that make a practical jailbreak more difficult.

The new workflow combines the SecureROM exploit with custom firmware files prepared for iOS 27 beta builds. It places the handset into a compromised Device Firmware Upgrade mode before installing modified system components and booting a specialised ramdisk.

Researchers must use external hardware based on the RP2350 microcontroller, such as a Raspberry Pi Pico 2, connected through a modified Lightning cable. The exploit cannot be launched directly from a normal Mac or Windows computer because it depends on precise behaviour at the USB controller level.

That requirement sharply limits its value for remote attackers. A person attempting to use the technique would need physical access to the phone, specialist equipment and considerable technical knowledge. The device must also be placed manually into DFU mode.

The project patches several parts of the operating system to weaken code-signing, sandbox and activation checks. It also permits execution from a jailbreak directory and introduces changes intended to move the device through Apple’s restoration and setup processes.

Even after a successful boot, major limitations remain. The developer says Wi-Fi, cellular baseband functions, passcode support, the Secure Enclave Processor connection and Apple services may fail. Bluetooth works only partially, while internet access may require a USB connection shared from a Mac.

The process therefore falls well short of a consumer-ready jailbreak. It resembles a security research environment that enables deeper examination of iOS rather than a stable tool for installing unauthorised applications on a daily-use handset.

Its instructions repeatedly warn users not to test the method on their main phone. Restoring the custom firmware deletes all stored information and could leave the device in a state that requires advanced recovery work.

The release nevertheless represents an important development for the jailbreak community. The iPhone 11 series is among the oldest generations capable of running iOS 27, giving researchers a route to examine Apple’s current operating system on hardware vulnerable to a permanent boot-level flaw.

Apple introduced the iPhone 11 Pro in 2019 with the A13 Bionic chip. The processor also appears in the standard iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro Max and second-generation iPhone SE, although the published jailbreak workflow does not yet support those models.

Adapting it to additional devices would require researchers to identify model-specific memory offsets, firmware components and boot-chain differences. Offsets used by the project are tied to particular iOS builds and must be recalculated whenever Apple changes the relevant binaries.

The underlying usbliter8 research covers A12 and A13 processors, alongside certain Apple Watch chips. That potentially places several older iPhones, iPads and watches within the broader technical scope of the vulnerability, though practical exploitation varies by model.

The original exploit’s publication has also become the subject of a legal dispute involving digital forensics company Magnet Forensics and researchers associated with Paradigm Shift. A United States court issued an order requiring the removal of disputed code and technical material while the litigation proceeds.