Apple said that Corellium's iOS vulnerability search tool infringes its copyright.
Security startup Corellium has won a lawsuit against Apple, and the judgment will have far-reaching implications for iPhone security research and copyright law.
According to The Washington Post, a Florida federal judge dismissed Apple's allegations against Corellium, claiming that Corellium's software tool for finding vulnerabilities in Apple products infringes its copyright.
Founded in 2017 by married couple Amanda Gorton and Chris Wade, Corellium was a real breakthrough in security research by allowing virtual iPhones to run on desktop computers. With its help, researchers no longer need to use physical iPhones with specialized software to search for vulnerabilities in iOS.
According to the court's decision, the creation of virtual iPhones is not an infringement of Apple copyrights, including because they are designed to improve the security of all iPhone users. According to the judge, Corellium did not create a product that competes with Apple's smartphones, but a research tool aimed at a narrow circle of users.
As Apple stated in its lawsuit, Corellium's tools are dangerous if they fall into the hands of attackers, as vulnerabilities discovered with its help can be used to hack iPhone. Apple accused Corellium of the information security company selling its tools to everyone indiscriminately, but Corellium denied these accusations.
Apple tried to acquire Corellium in 2018, according to court records, but when acquisition negotiations stalled last year, Apple sued Corellium. The company said Corellium's virtual iPhones, equipped with only basic security research features, infringed on its copyright.
Apple also claimed that when creating the software, the information security company bypassed the security measures implemented in its products, thereby violating the "Digital Millennium Copyright Act." This claim was not dismissed by the court.
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Security startup Corellium has won a lawsuit against Apple, and the judgment will have far-reaching implications for iPhone security research and copyright law.
According to The Washington Post, a Florida federal judge dismissed Apple's allegations against Corellium, claiming that Corellium's software tool for finding vulnerabilities in Apple products infringes its copyright.
Founded in 2017 by married couple Amanda Gorton and Chris Wade, Corellium was a real breakthrough in security research by allowing virtual iPhones to run on desktop computers. With its help, researchers no longer need to use physical iPhones with specialized software to search for vulnerabilities in iOS.
According to the court's decision, the creation of virtual iPhones is not an infringement of Apple copyrights, including because they are designed to improve the security of all iPhone users. According to the judge, Corellium did not create a product that competes with Apple's smartphones, but a research tool aimed at a narrow circle of users.
As Apple stated in its lawsuit, Corellium's tools are dangerous if they fall into the hands of attackers, as vulnerabilities discovered with its help can be used to hack iPhone. Apple accused Corellium of the information security company selling its tools to everyone indiscriminately, but Corellium denied these accusations.
Apple tried to acquire Corellium in 2018, according to court records, but when acquisition negotiations stalled last year, Apple sued Corellium. The company said Corellium's virtual iPhones, equipped with only basic security research features, infringed on its copyright.
Apple also claimed that when creating the software, the information security company bypassed the security measures implemented in its products, thereby violating the "Digital Millennium Copyright Act." This claim was not dismissed by the court.
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