Apple fights back against Apple TV hacks?

In an interesting but unlikely turn of events, some Apple TV hackers enthusiasts are no longer able to obtain their new found access to their Apple TVs. More than one person is reporting that they previously enabled SSH and VNC access, but it is no longer accessible. The current unlikely theory is that Apple is fighting back and somehow remotely accessing the modified Apple TVs and is "fixing" them, although this would be quite an intrusive violation -- something that maybe not even Sony would attempt. Our very own Apple TV has not fallen victim to what we would bet is some internal process that is cleaning things up as programmed. If you are worried, though, the Tutorial Ninjas have a few suggestions, like blocking your Apple TV from the internet and changing your password -- this would mean no more 30 second samples of the iTunes Music Store's top 10, but hey, you can't have it all.

[v_dogg @ Mar 29th 2007 12:38AM]

what teh crap?? what gives apple the right to remotely access and change your apple tv. you paid for it. you should be able to do whatever the heck you want.

[Andr�s @ Mar 29th 2007 12:39AM]

Before the flame war begins. Let me remind Apple Haters that it was just a speculation, as Ben said it's probably some internal process, just like "watchdog" that runs the ATV interface (finder.app) every couple of minutes if it's not running (annoying for hackers).

[John Doe @ Mar 29th 2007 1:08AM]

No shit. I'd be one of the first to raise bloody hell if Apple did this but for right now there isn't even circumstantial evidence. Hell there isn't even evidence since all we know is something changed on a hacked system. OMG! That could NEVER happen!
Until there is proof I call bullshit. That being said since it is running a version of OS X how does Apple update critical OS patches? So its not out of the realm of possibilities that Apple does have something in place to auto update.

[Bazza @ Mar 29th 2007 7:07AM]

I'd like to see such restraint when there is a speculation about an MS issue. Instead of the wall to wall vitriol.

[Claus Christensen @ Mar 29th 2007 12:42AM]

Dammit!!!..I was right I did hear a voice from the living room last night going....yooouuuuu neeeddd mooorreee Appppleee prrrooduucttss, Iahve wrapped the Apple TV with Garlic cloves (could not find any holy water)

[Andr�s @ Mar 29th 2007 12:48AM]

Interesting...

Could it be an automatic software update? maybe a kron job that fixes permitions and make some other maintennece tasks that restore configurations to the original

For all we know it could be as simple as a program that verifies that the ipfirewall is up.. if the only thing broken is the SSH.

[Joshua Ochs @ Mar 29th 2007 2:48AM]

Before anyone flies off the handle, look into how the Tivo handles things (it's similarly a UNIX-ish system underneath a lovely UI). By default, it checksums everything on the disk at startup, and if anything is found modified, it resets it back to defaults. It sounds like Apple is doing something similar, but maybe only every few reboots, or as suggested, on a timer. I'd say a software update or "phone home" is less likely, but whatever the cause, I'm sure we'll know by this time tomorrow.

No, Apple does NOT have access to your box (at the most basic level, they'd never be able to get around your router without a forwarded port - something you'd have to set up explicitly). So please, stop with the "OMG Apple's Haxxoring my boxen!" stuff right now.

To the hackers - start checking what launchd is up to, and see if the kernel is "stock" or not. I have a feeling within a month or so this box will be much better understood, and we'll have a LOT of very interesting hacks, plugins, and applications for the little beastie. :) Who knows - maybe I'll end up getting one after all instead of the Mini I've been wanting.

[Matt @ Mar 29th 2007 11:34AM]

Apple can theoretically still controll the ATV remotely even with out port forwarding if the device is requesting information from a remote server.

[Silver R. Wolfe @ Mar 29th 2007 1:16AM]

It's like the PSP firmware updates! D:

They're gonna strip away every bonus functionality people will add to it so they can keep it a closed system. Time to mod up an Xbox.

[Nathan G. @ Mar 29th 2007 11:01AM]

I can just imagine the dev's who worked on the appleTV security getting a kick out of this article when they read it...if this is just a security measure and not actually remote access...*shifty eyes*...yeah...*unplugs modem*

[Matt Carrell @ Mar 29th 2007 4:53PM]

30 second previews? Um.. that isn't available.. Apple TV is not = iTunes Music Store.. The only previews it has are movie trailers. Purchasing music or previewing music you don't have isn't a feature.. yet. Oh, and I guarantee Apple isn't getting into people's boxes...Please.. I think they know better than to go the way of Prodigy..umm kay? The only way that Apple is gonna stop any haxies is if the user approves some kind of update.. of which none have been offered yet.

[KeynoteKen @ Mar 29th 2007 6:23AM]

OR it could be that there are some hackers out there that know the password on these boxes with the FIREWALL TURNED OFF is frontrow/frontrow.

[KeynoteKen @ Mar 29th 2007 7:16AM]

That's because history has shown that Microsoft issues usually end up being big issues (recent Xbox pretexting kerfuffle) and Apple ones usually are nothing big, BUT are blown out of proportion because of the posters' 1) hatred for the Mac and all things that are easy to use OR 2) applying their Microsoft response (shock/dismay/outrage) to an Apple product (case in point wireless hack).

This will be sorted out, the same people who happily claim to not know how to turn off the timed job for the interface will admit that maybe, just maybe there were other timed jobs they didn't know about and the restraint will have once again been justified.

[shamrock593 @ Mar 29th 2007 8:28AM]

Isn't it in Apples best interest to NOT do this? I would consider buying a Apple TV if it supported Divx, if not, no Apple TV for me. I don't see why Apple would do this? How is this promoting sales?

[John Stracke @ Mar 29th 2007 10:56AM]

"I don't see why Apple would do this? How is this promoting sales?": Well, it also defends against the software getting corrupted accidentally. This is supposed to be a limited-function consumer device, without the hassles of maintaining a computer; maybe they added automatic self-repair.

If so, I bet they'll do it in the iPhone, too.

[Johnny @ Mar 29th 2007 9:15AM]

I personally think Apple wants people to hack AppleTVs. The hacks are great for selling AppleTV to the geek crowd and I really don't see why they would care what people do with them as long as they pay for them. I agree that the mysterious 'fixes' are probably a self-repair daemon intended to keep it running well for non-hackers.

[tim. @ Mar 29th 2007 9:18AM]

ahhh, of course! the device that you HACKED isn't doing what you HACKED it to do, therefore, Apple *must* have some insanely evil conspiracy against you. it's the only natural conclusion!

... or you could be an idiot. yeah, wait. i think i'll go with the second option.

[mrsalty @ Mar 29th 2007 10:42PM]

Since we don't technically own the software in the appletv, just like we really dont own vista and can't copy it and if we modify or change it microsoft usually patches it with an express update. I dont have a problem with this since Apple "one upped me" and that is the name of the game anyway. Now, if they took away features that already came with the machine when I bought it I would be a little upset.

[Calvin Gorriaran @ Mar 29th 2007 9:50AM]

Someone needs to startup a sniffer...

[James Scott @ Mar 29th 2007 3:56PM]

And you don't think this could possibly due to some inept "hackers" who don't know what they are doing?

This isn't exactly wide spread, it could just be the noobs who try to follow the steps provided by others and just end up pooching it.

It would be ridiculous to assume Apple didn't also put in some self healing functions on it to help keep the little gadget from having issues. Folks go in and modify some of the things it's checking and it tries to heal it self since it's now operating out side of its designed parameters.

[tofu @ Mar 29th 2007 1:58PM]

I thought i read somewhere that these devices automatically reset themselves after 60-90 mins or something....

[Adrian @ Mar 29th 2007 2:13PM]

I doubt this is Apple patching things up. While a self-update process of the Apple TV is not unlikely, I doubt that Apple would go ahead installing the updates without the user's confirmation.

Also, the Apple TV is so wide open that I don't think Apple will stop hacks. Even more, it seems to me that Apple made it open on purpose. It announced that it would be running some kind of OSX and the fact that applications and QuickTime plugins can be installed easily adds to this.

If Apple would be really against hacking the Apple TV, then they would have made it at least a bit harder when they had the chance to do so easily. Adding security measures only afterwards and using a easily blockable method seems unlikely to me.

[KC @ Mar 29th 2007 3:20PM]

I think it is in Apple's interest to stop the hacks. The purpose of Apple TV is to sell more videos (and audio) from the iTunes store. If you hacked the box to view stuff other other than iTunes material, then it is considered to be a "revenue loss" to Apple.

From Apple's point of view, why would you want to buy an Apple TV box if you don't intend to buy stuff from the iTunes store?

[anon @ Mar 29th 2007 6:36PM]

@ KC,

It's the other way around. iTunes Store facilitates the sale of Apple hardware.

The only reason they would care about anyone hacking the AppleTV is based solely on the tenuous relationship Apple has with their content providers.

[ob1 @ Mar 29th 2007 4:49PM]

I caught my AppleTV and my TiVo doing it on the top shelf of my entertainment center. What should I do?