Security researchers who wanted to get under the hood of technology to improve it had a pleasant victory on Tuesday when a federal judge in Florida decided to throw out Apple’s copyright infringement claims against the maker of virtual iPhone software.
Last year, Apple filed a lawsuit against the makers of Corellium who allege the software is copyright infringement, and it later threw out Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) claims violations for the record. In his statementUS District Judge Rodney Smith said the software in question was fair use for several reasons, but the DMCA claims are still to be resolved in court.
Corellium’s software is used by researchers to create virtual iOS devices to research bugs and compare different versions of Apple’s mobile operating system. If a researcher is tinkering with a virtual iPhone and finds that they have bricked the device, all they have to do is restart the simulation instead of looking for a new iPhone.
Judge Smith found that “Apple’s position is confusing, if not insincere.” He said that Corellium was not creating a product to compete with Apple’s and that the software really intended to improve Apple’s products for users. Smith also noted that Apple had attempted to acquire Corellium before the talks ended. This provided a demonstration of the usefulness of Corellium, and Smith noted that “had Apple purchased the Corellium product, the product would have been used internally for testing and validation (that is, verifying system weaknesses and device functioning).” The Judge also found that Corellium has an adequate review process for its customers and is thus not guilty of claims that it is selling its software haphazardly.
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But Apple’s arguments that Corellium violated certain provisions of the DMCA by circumventing security measures warrant further judicial review.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It has been a fantastic few weeks for Corellium. This legal win should help remove the cloud over the cybersecurity community has been nervous about the use of the virtualization software. In addition, Forbes named Corellium the best cybersecurity product of the year. And last week, flying under the radar, Corellium founder Chris Wade received a full pardon from President Trump. It is unclear for what crime Wade was convicted of committing, but tsaid the White House that “Wade had served two years of probation after pleading guilty to several cybercrimes. Since his conviction, he has repented and tried to make his community safer. “