Since the exploits are all over the internet and have been discussed in great detail by the security researchers, actors with malicious intent can take advantage of the vulnerabilities. It would require a hardware revision, meaning it can be fixed only with a new Mac device. But being a ROM, it also prevents any revision. However, the vulnerability is something Apple cannot fix with a patch as the T2 chips read-only memory (ROM) stores the SepOS that protects devices from tampering. JTAG/SWD debug cable can hack the MacBooks and iMacs that were released with T2 chips Twitter Using the debug cable requires demotion however to switch it from a production state, which is possible via the checkm8 exploit,' the researchers added. 'An example of cable that can be used to perform low-level CPU & T2 debugging is the JTAG/SWD debug cable found on the internet. They added that it would be possible to create a debugging USB-C cable that could automatically exploit the vulnerability. The combined method works because Apple left the 'debugging interface open in the T2 security chip shipping to customers,' meaning that it would allow anyone to enter the DFU mode without any authentication as per ironPeak researchers.

But the run of second exploit or Blackbird helps bypass that problem and allows an attacker to take over the system, as per Belgian cybersecurity company ironPeak.

The other method helps in avoiding the T2 chip's detection of decryption calls.Īs the T2 chip serves as a security chip or Secure Enclave Processor (SEP), when the Checkm8 exploit is run, it would exit with a fatal error if it is in Device Firmware Update (DFU) mode without authentication. Checkra1n's Checkm8 exploit was developed to bypass activation lock on iOS or macOS. Apple added ARM-based T2 chips for added security layer in MacBooks AppleĪll you need is a USB-C cable and Checkra1n jailbreaking software's 0.11.0 version during Mac's boot-up process.

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