SHSH

How to prepare for a possible iOS 8.3 downgrade

When Apple closes the firmware signing window for iOS 8.3, users wishing to downgrade (or upgrade) to iOS 8.3 won't be allowed to do so. Instead, you'll have to settle for whatever firmware Apple is signing, which is usually the latest and greatest out there.

When that happens, it's quite probable that it could spell the end of jailbreaking for a while—remember we just got out of a significant lull.

With this in mind, the ability to downgrade back to iOS 8.3 is very desirous for would-be jailbreakers. While there is no confirmed downgrade ability just yet, there are some things that you can do to ensure that you have the best chance to downgrade should that ability arrive.

This is accomplished by saving your iOS 8.3 SHSH blobs.

To save your SHSH blobs and prepare for a possible iOS 8.3 downgrade, you'll need to use TinyUmbrella to do so. I'll show you how in this post and video.

New TinyUmbrella 8.2.0.41 beta released

TinyUmbrella, the tool that allows users to save SHSH blobs to be used for potential downgrades, has received another update. As we reported a few weeks ago, TinyUmbrella has made a significant comeback, and its developer, semaphore, is hopeful that downgrades to iOS firmware will be a real thing in the not so distant future.

With this in mind, semaphore is continuing to improve TinyUmbrella, and this latest beta version contains numerous fixes and iterative enhancements. If you still haven't saved your SHSH blobs, I advise you to stop what you're doing, download TinyUmbrella, and do so today.

A new TinyUmbrella beta is released with iOS downgrades in view

As promised, Semaphore has released a rewrite of his popular TinyUmbrella tool for OS X and Windows. The tool, which has been completely rewritten from the ground up, is currently in beta and requires Java.

Semaphore has alluded to the fact that the new TinyUmbrella may have far-reaching consequences related to downgrading both 32-bit and 64-bit devices. Back in the original TinyUmbrella's heyday, it was used as a tool to help downgrade to prior versions of iOS.

TinyUmbrella updated with support for iOS 6.1.3

Good news jailbreakers. Notcom has finally updated his popular SHSH blob-saver to support iOS 6.1.3. Apple seeded the update to users more than a month ago with a fix for the latest Lock screen security bug and Maps improvements.

Unfortunately, 6.1.3 also killed several of the exploits that the evad3rs were using in evasi0n, effectively killing the iOS 6 jailbreak. But for those of you who upgraded to it, whether by accident or choice, here's TinyUmbrella version 6.13.00...

Cydia introduces new TSS Center, Saurik explains what happened to iOS 6 TSS data

Recently, Saurik, the creator of Cydia, posted a new blog entry explaining the history of Cydia's TSS caching capabilities. As you know, Cydia has been able to automatically save off SHSH blobs for potential downgrade ability with jailbroken devices.

Things have changed rapidly over the years as iOS' security evolved. The earlier versions of iOS included absolutely no downgrade protection. Eventually, with the adaption of TSS, basic verification to make sure that you were installing newer firmware, instead of older firmware arrived. This security was enhanced further with the adoption of a new verification scheme — APTicket — which has proved to be a pain in the rear for would be downgraders. Yes, there have been, and will always be a few exceptions to that rule, but for the most part, Apple has done a good job of cutting off the ability to downgrade firmware.

What does all of this have to do with Cydia's new TSS Center? Well as it turns out, the APTickets saved for iOS 6.0-6.1.2 are all "useless", as they're incomplete tickets unsuitable for booting a device.

In a post on his blog named Where did my iOS 6 TSS data go? Saurik explains in verbose detail the issue at hand...

TinyUmbrella updated with support for iOS 6.1.2

In light of Apple releasing iOS 6.1.2 last week, notcom has seeded a new version of his TinyUmbrella app. The popular SHSH blob-saving tool now supports all versions of iOS, excluding 6.1.3, which is still in beta.

That beta, though, is already causing waves in the jailbreak community. Evidence has been found in the firmware that Apple is patching evasi0n's exploits, which makes this TinyUmbrella extremely important...

3 steps to protect your iOS 6 jailbreak

When you consider the amount of hard work that went into providing the public with an iOS 6 jailbreak, and how long it took for that solution to come to fruition, protecting the jailbreak is of paramount concern. Recently BigBoss added a section to each page of its highly visible repo addressing the concern, that's how important it is.

There are some basic fundamental steps that you should take for the sake of preserving your device's iOS 6 jailbreak. That's simply because, as you know, you never know how long it will take for the next jailbreak to come around. Once Apple inevitably addresses the exploits used in the evasi0n untethered jailbreak, chances are we'll have to wait deep into iOS 7's lifecycle before we get another jailbreak, if we do at all.

So again, it's of real concern for those of you who love your jailbroken device, to read the following 3 tips and strategies, and implement them.

How to save SHSH blobs for iOS 6.1

Every time there's a new jailbreak, the same message is preached: Save your SHSH blobs! In fact, even when there is not a jailbreak, it's a good practice to always save your SHSH blobs. These files are absolute must haves if there ever opens up the possibility to downgrade back to iOS 6.1 once newer firmware is released. If you don't save your blobs for a specific firmware, then the possibility of ever being able to downgrade to that firmware is slim to none.

So please, be proactive. Save your SHSH blobs right now. That way, when Apple drops iOS 6.1.1, or whatever its next firmware will be called, you will already have your blobs saved. Apple has been quick about closing its firmware signing window as of late, so once the new firmware is released, it might be too late to save the iOS 6.1 blobs.

If you haven't already done so, there's no need to feel ashamed, but act now. Take a look at our easy to follow step-by-step walkthrough inside, and we'll show you just how simple the process is.

Winocm developing iOS 6.X to iOS 5.1.1 downgrade, includes A5+ devices

Winocm tweeted today that he was working on a method for downgrading from iOS 6 to 5.1.1 that will work on all devices. This is noteworthy as downgrades on most A5+ devices were either difficult, in the case of the iPad 2, or not possible in Redsn0w once Apple stopped signing the iOS 5 firmware.

Winocm is known for his work in PS3 firmware hacking and contributes tweaks such as CameraConnector to Cydia under the name 'rms'. Winocm seems to be working on a lot of projects: A day before the downgrade tweet, Winocm posted a video of linux booting up on an iPhone 4 to YouTube (pictured above)...

TinyUmbrella updated to support iOS 6

It seems like it's been forever since we've seen a TinyUmbrella update. The SHSH blob-saver has been noticeably absent throughout the summer as Apple has released multiple iOS 6 betas.

But notcom, the utility's creator, broke the silence this week, announcing that TU has finally been updated to support the new software. It now works with iOS 6 and the latest Apple TV firmware...

Save your SHSH blobs for iOS 5.1.1

The Absinthe 2.0 talk is going on right now at Amsterdam's Hack In The Box security conference, so that can only mean that the upcoming untethered jailbreak for iOS 5.1.1 is imminent. For this reason, now is a good time to save your SHSH blobs for iOS 5.1.1 while Apple is still signing the firmware.

Check inside for a full tutorial on how to ensure that your SHSH blobs are saved. You may never need them, but it's much better to be safe than sorry in the event that you do...