Apple has hired Jonathan Zdziarski, a forensics consult and security researcher who has been heavily involved in the iOS security community. Zdziarski was notably vocal during Apple’s conflict with the FBI last year, offering his technical expertise against claims being made by the government.
Zdziarski publicly shared the news with an announcement on his personal blog:
You may recognize Zdziarski’s name from many iOS security-related stories over the years.
This decision marks the conclusion of what I feel has been a matter of conscience for me over time. Privacy is sacred; our digital lives can reveal so much about us – our interests, our deepest thoughts, and even who we love. I am thrilled to be working with such an exceptional group of people who share a passion to protect that.
Prior to the high-profile FBI security story, Zdziarski made headlines with claims that Apple had a backdoor into iOS, offering commentary and perspective with prominent security stories, and discovering security flaws in popular apps.
Last summer when it was discovered that Apple left the iOS 10 kernel unencrytped, Zdziarski provided one possible theory for the decision. Zdziarski has been on our radar as far back as 2009 when his NES emulator made it through app review and onto the App Store.
Now with Zdziarski officially at Apple, I would expect such antics (and helpful commentary) to disappear. His security expertise, however, should prove an asset for the company.
