Chinese accessory maker claims to have 'permanently cracked' Apple's Lightning authentication
A Chinese accessory maker claims to have "permanently" cracked the Lightning authentication feature built into Apple's iOS 7 operating system, opening up the possibility for a wide range of manufacturers to make Lightning-compatible iPad and iPod accessories without Apple's approval.
Chinese manufacturer iPhone5mod was already noted for offering non-Apple approved Lightning accessories last year even as the Cupertino company was still working out the details of manufacturer authorization. Now the accessory maker claims that it has developed a solution that keeps iOS 7 from warning users when they're using uncertified Lightning cables.
iPhone5mod's Lightning crack is said to be hardware-based. According to the company, Apple cannot negate the crack without reworking its own Lightning hardware.
