A hacker group named Calif has successfully created a new jailbreak that works even when Apple has its highest security setting turned on. The team demonstrated how it bypassed Lockdown Mode on an iPhone and maintained its system access. What makes this breach stand out is that the hack persisted even after the phone installed the latest iOS update, leaving many security experts surprised by the results.
Hackers breach security through an airdropped malicious pdf file
The attack started when the target device received a PDF file via AirDrop. Once the user accepted the file, the jailbreak process took off. The hackers showed this working on an iPhone 18 Pro in a video posted to X. During the demonstration, the phone had Lockdown Mode enabled from the start. This feature, which was first introduced in iOS 16, is designed to protect people who might face highly targeted digital attacks.
After the initial breach, the video showed the user going into the settings menu to install a software update. The device downloaded and applied iOS 27.2, and the phone restarted. In the past, installing a new software version would wipe out any jailbreak. This time, the hack stayed in place after the update finished. The phone remained compromised while running the new operating system.
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The group reports the issue but keeps the exploit private
Calif is keeping the technical details of this hack to itself. It shared the video to show what is possible but has stated it will not release a public jailbreak tool for everyday users. Instead, it disclosed the vulnerabilities directly to the tech giant so it can investigate and fix the problem.
This is not the first time Calif has made news recently. Just a week prior, it made headlines for breaching a phone on launch day. It is clear the group is actively finding holes in the latest hardware, including the new iPhone Duo.
For average users, this news is not a reason to panic. Since the attack requires you to accept a file over AirDrop, the hacker needs to be physically close to your phone. Setting your AirDrop to only accept files from contacts is a simple way to stay safe. While Lockdown Mode is still highly effective against most threats, this proof of concept shows that no security measure is completely bulletproof.
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