Mobile Threat Catalogue

Rooting or Jailbreaking

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Threat Category: Mobile Operating System

ID: STA-1

Threat Description: Jailbreaking or rooting a mobile device opens security holes and circumvents the device’s built-in security controls. Phones are much more vulnerable to viruses and malware because users can avoid official app store’s application vetting processes that help ensure users download virus-free apps.1

Threat Origin

Mobile Security: Threats and Countermeasures 2

Exploit Examples

Not Applicable

CVE Examples

Possible Countermeasures

Mobile Device User

Ensure devices are kept up-to-date with security patches to decrease the likelihood that they can be rooted/jailbroken.

Enterprise

Ensure devices are kept up-to-date with security patches to decrease the likelihood that they can be rooted/jailbroken.

Use hardware mechanisms, device APIs (Android SafetyNet, Samsung Knox hardware-backed remote attestation, or other applicable remote attestation technologies), or other tools to detect rooted/jailbroken devices, provide notification to the enterprise and user, and block enterprise connectivity.

Help users to understand the risks associated with rooting/jailbreaking their devices.

References

  1. McAfee, How Does Jailbreaking Or Rooting Affect My Mobile Device Security?, blog, 13 Jun. 2012; https://www.mcafee.com/blogs/consumer/how-does-jailbreaking-or-rooting-affect-my-mobile-device-security [accessed 12/02/2019] ↩

  2. Mobile Security: Threats and Countermeasures, white paper, MobileIron; www.mobileiron.com/sites/default/files/security/Mobile-Security-Threats-and-Countermeasures-WP-MKT-6361-V1.pdf [accessed 8/25/2016] ↩