Jailbreak

Jailbreak is a procedure or third-party application that removes certain limitations imposed by the device’s manufacturer to allow users to customize the device and install software not available in the official app store. This process is most common and relevant to mobile devices such as smartphones, though it is also applicable to other gadgets, such as game consoles and tablet devices.

A jailbreak is essentially a custom operating system installed on the device, which provides unrestricted access to the operating system’s file system and manager. By unlocking this access, users can then modify the operating system, install unofficial applications, remove unwanted apps, and use the device in “developer mode”.

In the early days of smartphone hacking, jailbreaking was a complex process that required users to use in-depth command line knowledge with computers, but over the past decade the process has become easier and accessible to the majority of users.

While jailbreak procedures are legal in most aspects, many device manufacturers consider it to be against their terms and conditions. For that reason, a jailbreak may void the warranty on the device or have other potential consequences. For this cause, it is strongly recommended for users to backup their data first before dabbling in a jailbreak process.

Jailbreaking can also potentially introduce security risks by leaving users vulnerable to malicious third-party applications and remote hacking attempts. Therefore, it is important for users to make sure they are aware of the risks and install security applications and software updates after the jailbreak is completed.

The most popular operating systems for jailbreaking include iOS, Android, and Windows Phone, with most methods of hacking revolving around using specialized tools. On the iOS platform, the most popular jailbreaking tool is Cydia, while Android users can access Google Play Services to install unapproved apps.