Apple Suggests Dev Workaround for App Purchase Hack

It looks like there will be no fix for the in-app purchase hacks in iOS 5...

Last week, we reported that Russian iOS developer ZonD8o had found a hack to circumvent paying for iOS apps. The process involved installing some security certificates and changing DNS records.

For now, there's no real "fix" that Apple can implement for iOS 5.1. However, Apple's taken steps to prevent the issue, such as blocking some of the IP addresses of the servers used by ZonD8o. The company also urges developers to validate app purchases via their own servers instead of Apple's.

It looks like developers who don't have their own servers and are still experiencing the issue are just going to have to wait it out. Apple's promised a fix for the issue in iOS 6. In the meantime, we can only hope that Apple finds a better band-aid solution.

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Top Comments

22 Ð

sp0nger , July 25, 2012 12:14 AM

Lol why do people put up with Apple
21 Ð

borisof007 , July 25, 2012 12:07 AM

You're holding it wrong.

Other Comments

21 Ð

borisof007 , July 25, 2012 12:07 AM

You're holding it wrong.
-18 Ð

JeTJL , July 25, 2012 12:07 AM

Android users can side load apks, and recently one company made one of their games free to play citing that people were pirating the game.

Companies should get their DRM straight and unobtrusive, or not use it at all and just make all games free to play.
22 Ð

sp0nger , July 25, 2012 12:14 AM

Lol why do people put up with Apple
9 Ð

syrious1 , July 25, 2012 12:26 AM

cuz its so snazy and cool? did I forget trendy? isheep?
3 Ð

anonymous@guest , July 25, 2012 12:34 AM

just because you're on the other side of a fence doesn't mean you aren't sheep
8 Ð

rantoc , July 25, 2012 12:49 AM

I lost faith in apple a long time ago, this just enforces my belief that its usually a shiny case with crap inside. Heck if they can't be bothered to patch this efficiently to save their developers tons of grief it proves what a kind of rotten company it is (like all the anti-competitive court battles weren't enough). The only department at apple i have respect for is their marketing team that are spoon feeding the sheep what they want to hear...
6 Ð

thorkle , July 25, 2012 12:51 AM

blahblahbleckjust because you're on the other side of a fence doesn't mean you aren't sheep

When you are the one fenced in it does though.
9 Ð

v90k , July 25, 2012 1:54 AM

Now if there was a way to circumvent music purchases I would bet that there would be a fix tomorrow.
-2 Ð

eddieroolz , July 25, 2012 1:59 AM

Looks like Apple will be rushing iOS6 to the market now.
4 Ð

eddieroolz , July 25, 2012 2:03 AM

thorkleWhen you are the one fenced in it does though.

Not when many on here are an active sheep behind Google. It's just a matter of which herder you happen to follow.
4 Ð

teh_chem , July 25, 2012 2:05 AM

JeTJLAndroid users can side load apks, and recently one company made one of their games free to play citing that people were pirating the game. Companies should get their DRM straight and unobtrusive, or not use it at all and just make all games free to play.

People are pirating android games because of DRM issues? I think not...

Re. free-to-play, where does the revenue come from to support the developers? I don't buy or play many games on my phone or tablet, but ads in "free" games are getting more and more obtrusive. I could see myself preferring to buy something as opposed to putting up with ads--if I cared enough about the game/app, that is.
1 Ð

AndrewMD , July 25, 2012 4:35 AM

people are just missing the point and are so blind to hate apple that if you are not a developer, you don't see the real issue. No matter if you like apple, android, wp, bOS, the results are the same, if you are developing and all it takes is a proxy server entry to break the code, you are not getting paid. As a developer, I would want to hunt you down and destroy every piece of hardware you own and then destroy your personal property for trying to take away my hard work.

To put it more bluntly, let call your employer and tell them you are now willing to work completely for free without pay because you feel you should not be paid for your work.
0 Ð

thorkle , July 25, 2012 4:35 AM

eddieroolzNot when many on here are an active sheep behind Google. It's just a matter of which herder you happen to follow.

I agree with you to an extent. The only problem is there are many exceptions including myself. I like Google best because they are the only other competitor that comes close to rivalling the number of available apps that apple has. If windows phone 7 had more developer support I'd be all over it, but unfortunately I have to stick with Google. I for one would much rather have more choice which is what Google provides. Apple has much higher fences. If apple provided what I wanted for a better price I would go with them, but they don't so I go with the only better option.
7 Ð

otacon72 , July 25, 2012 5:23 AM

Apple can't patch it's own software to plug this huge security loop hole.... man is that pathetic.
2 Ð

teh_chem , July 25, 2012 6:02 AM

One thing I'm confused about is how having a dev use their own server for validation would help vs. if they used an Apple server for validation. I guess I don't understand how this crack/exploit works.
3 Ð

thillntn , July 25, 2012 10:11 AM

Just do what $ony would do Apple, shut everything off , then take something away when you turn it on a few months later lol.
1 Ð

alextheblue , July 26, 2012 12:11 PM

thorkle If windows phone 7 had more developer support I'd be all over it, but unfortunately I have to stick with Google. I for one would much rather have more choice which is what Google provides. Apple has much higher fences. If apple provided what I wanted for a better price I would go with them, but they don't so I go with the only better option.
Yeah, I know I always pick the platform with the most farting apps. Only having 3 apps that do the same thing is also a serious no-no. Not to mention that Apple devices are just so expensive, even though there are much bigger issues you should be concerned about other than a few dollars difference up front. But it's just the money, if they were cheaper I wouldn't care about how they do business. /sarcasm

Apple Suggests Dev Workaround for App Purchase Hack

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