Folks have been wondering why the iOS 10 beta kernel was left unencrypted. Now Apple tells TechCrunch that this was done deliberately to streamline system performance.
“The kernel cache doesn’t contain any user info, and by unencrypting it we’re able to optimize the operating system’s performance without compromising security,” an Apple spokesperson said.
The kernel manages security and limits the ways apps on an iOS device can access the hardware of the device. “The lack of encryption in this case doesn’t mean that devices running iOS 10 are less secure,” notes TechCrunch. “It just means that that researchers and developers can poke around in the kernel’s code for the first time, and any security flaws will come to light more quickly. If flaws are revealed, they can be quickly patched.
