Unpatchable ‘usbliter8’ Exploit Breaks Apple A12 and A13 SecureROM Boot Chain
A functional exploit known as usbliter8 that allows arbitrary code execution inside the SecureROM of Apple's A12 and A13 chips has been released by security researchers at Paradigm Shift.
During manufacturing, that code is burned into the silicon. It cannot be updated with software. For as long as they are in use, impacted devices will have this defect.
It's not a remote attack. The device, which must be in DFU mode and connected via USB to a certain RP2350-based microcontroller board, must be physically possessed. With that configuration, the exploit completes before Apple's signed boot chain loads in less than two seconds.
On June 18, 2026, the complete technical description and a functional proof of concept were made public after a coordinated disclosure with Apple Product Sec...