Apple sends hacker-friendly iPhones to researchers

New Delhi: With an aim to increase the security and privacy net of iPhones, Apple has said that it will be sending special iPhone units to security researchers. These iPhones will be a customised hacker-friendly unit.

First published macrumors website, it has been reported that the iPhones retailed in markets sport a more secure version of iOS. The iPhones provided to the researchers are mated to a hacker-friendly iOS version. This version has fewer restrictions in comparison with the retail unit.

Apple has always emphasized its secure ecosystem. Apple has made fun of its counterparts with a number of advertisement campaigns.

Apples is giving its iPhones to the researchers for research and development purpose which will help the Cupertino headquartered company to recognise and solve the loopholes in its operating system. There can few bugs and flaws in the operating system which researchers points out to the company. These bugs will be further analysed and fixed by the company.

Apple operates a bug bounty program wherein, the person discovering the bug in the system gets paid a hefty amount for it. The amount of bounty depends upon the vulnerability capacity of the bug. So far, Apple has given as high as USD 1.5 million to the researcher.

Apple has released a notification about shipping its first batch of phones to researchers. These hacker-friendly iPhones are given out on loans to the researchers for 12 months, which can be further extended.