1st Gen IPhone/Touch Must Jailbreak For Protection

Apple’s recently updated iOS to 4.0.2 to address the vulnerability to malicious PDFs. (The patch also prevented devices from using the ridiculously easy hack offered by JailbreakMe.com.) So all’s good now, with Apple devices being safe from bad hackers out to do harm, right?

Um, no… at least not if you’re still using an original iPhone or iPod Touch. If you are, then you know that you get no joy from iOS 4 — therefore the software update for it won’t apply to your device.

But if you have a jailbroken first-gen handset, you do have an alternative. A new program called PDF Patch has come out (available via Cydia) that promises to safeguard against accidentally (or unknowingly) downloading PDFs with malicious code.

Best part? Current devices with the latest jailbreak (on 4.0.1) can use this. So if you’re afraid to upgrade to 4.0.2 and mess up your jailbreak — but don’t want to leave your gadget vulnerable — this ought to offer some peace of mind (at least until the new jailbreak’s available. Patience, friends).

It’s weird. In some cases, it turns out that jailbreaking’s actually necessary for protection. Go figure.

(Curious about jailbreaking and want to know more? Check out the guide here.)