Security Leak: Free iPad Magazine Downloads
October 12, 2010
Those unhappy with the per-issue price of some iPad magazine apps, may be interested to hear that a security hole has been uncovered by The Huffington Post allowing free downloads.
The Huffington Post looked into the security of two Condé Nast US publications released for the iPad: the New Yorker and Wired Magazine. They concluded:
No need for hard core hacking and cracking: All a moderately-skilled iPad user has to do is connect the iPad to his laptop, search inside the iPad files with a common managing software (we used iPhone Explorer), copy the .plist file that manage the download information and correct a single field. This boils down to changing a single word: Where it says "purchasable" you write "viewable" instead, and copy back the file on the iPad. Now all you need to do is click on "delete" the magazine issue on the iPad app and a "download" button will appear instead of the "buy" button. It means you can download the magazine for free.While The Huffington Post told its contacts at Condé Nast about the lack of security it uncovered, as of today it remains. Certainly this issue will be addressed soon. Have any of our readers been able to download an issue without paying for it? Now we by no means condone this, however we do want to know how easy it was. Leave your thoughts in the comments.
