Apple has posted a new job listing on its website seeking an “iPhone OS Platform Security Manager,” suggesting the company is looking to further secure its mobile operating system. The job description says the company is ” looking for a talented and inspired manager to lead a team focused on the platform security of iPhone OS. The team is responsible for secure booting and installation of the OS, partitioning and hardening of security domains within the OS, cryptographic services, and risk analysis of security threats.” Responsibilities of the position will include “setting the roadmap for the iPhone OS platform security with an emphasis on hardware support and trusted computing methods,” “creating and promoting a development environment that encourages innovation and sets high standards for quality and productivity,” and “driving a methodology for proactively finding security vulnerabilities.”
While the iPhone OS has yet to be the target of a widespread virus or other malicious attack, hackers have been able to consistently jailbreak each new release, allowing for the installation of unsupported applications and modifications, potentially making the devices more vulnerable to attacks, as seen in a harmless extortion scheme earlier this week. In addition, other potential vulnerabilities have been found and demonstrated at hacking conferences, although Apple has normally adressed these with subsequent software updates. It is unclear whether this position, whether it be a new job or an attempt to fill a now-vacated position, would be charged with blocking jailbreakers or simply focusing on other security concerns. [via The Industry Standard]