Rooted (Jailbroken) Mobile Devices 3.5 Times More Vulnerable to Cyber Attacks

A recent study has revealed that rooted devices are over 3.5 times more likely to be targeted by mobile malware, underscoring the risks they bring to organizations.

Rooting and jailbreaking, once popular methods for customizing mobile devices, are now primarily used by power users.

While manufacturers have introduced more customization options and tighter security protocols to reduce these practices, rooted and jailbroken devices continue to pose serious security threats especially in enterprise environments.

• Android: 1 in 400 devices (0.25%) is rooted
• iOS: 1 in 2,500 devices (0.04%) is jailbroken

Elevated Threat Levels

Rooting (on Android) and jailbreaking (on iOS) allow users to gain privileged access to their device’s operating system, enabling modifications that are typically restricted. However, these practices also expose devices to significant vulnerabilities.

The study found that rooted devices represent just 0.1% of total enterprise devices but are disproportionately targeted by malware and other security threats.

Key findings include:

• Malware attacks occur 3.5 times more frequently on rooted devices.
• Compromised app detections increase 12-fold.
• System compromise incidents are 250 times higher.
• Filesystem compromise events surge by a factor of 3000.
• Security-Enhanced Linux disabling increases more than 90 times.

These figures highlight the severe risks associated with using rooted or jailbroken devices in environments where sensitive corporate data is accessed.

The Tools Behind Rooting and Jailbreaking

The report also examined the evolution of popular rooting and jailbreaking tools. For Android, frameworks such as Magisk, APatch, and KernelSU are widely used, while iOS users rely on tools like Dopamine, Checkra1n, and Roothide.

These tools are continuously updated to evade detection and maintain functionality across new operating system versions.

Magisk, for instance, uses a “systemless” rooting method that avoids modifying the system partition, making it harder for apps and the OS to detect root access.

Similarly, Checkra1n exploits hardware vulnerabilities in older Apple devices, ensuring persistent jailbreak capabilities.

Rooted and jailbroken devices have been detected worldwide, with notable concentrations in countries like the United States and Malaysia.

Development communities behind these tools are highly active, with contributors globally collaborating to refine techniques that bypass security measures.

The study tracked development activity for major frameworks like Magisk and KernelSU, revealing spikes in new forks coinciding with updates or increased security measures from Android and iOS.

This dynamic development landscape underscores the ongoing “cat-and-mouse” game between security vendors and rooting tool developers.

A single compromised device can serve as an entry point for larger attacks, putting entire organizations at risk.

Security experts emphasize the importance of advanced detection methods capable of identifying not just rooted devices but also the specific tools used to achieve root access.

These technologies leverage machine learning and behavioral analysis to stay ahead of evolving threats.

Enterprises must remain vigilant against these sophisticated risks, implementing robust security measures to protect sensitive data and systems from compromise.

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