Ashley Towns, the developer behind the infamous iKee rickrolling iPhone worm, which affected hundreds of iPhones by changing their backgrounds to an image of 80s pop star Rick Astley, has surprisingly landed a job as an iPhone App developer. This unexpected career move has raised eyebrows in the tech community, given his controversial past.
The 21-year-old hacker has joined Mogeneration, a company known for developing a variety of applications for Apple’s iPhone. This new role marks a significant shift from his previous activities, which involved creating malware that disrupted the user experience for many iPhone owners.
The iKee Worm and Its Impact
The iKee worm was a piece of malware that specifically targeted jailbroken iPhones. Once it infected a device, it changed the wallpaper to an image of Rick Astley, a nod to the internet meme known as “rickrolling.” While some might have found this amusing, the worm had more serious implications. It made unauthorized modifications to the iPhones of its victims, requiring a complicated repair process to remove. Additionally, the worm contained several elementary bugs that could have further compromised the affected devices.
Security experts have pointed out that Towns’ actions could have had more severe consequences. The iKee worm served as a template for the more dangerous Duh worm, which aimed to convert iPhones into a botnet and steal financial information. This escalation from a seemingly harmless prank to a potential security threat highlights the risks associated with such malware.
Despite admitting to writing the iKee iPhone worm and personally infecting around 100 iPhones with malware that could consume victims’ data allowances, Towns has not faced legal repercussions. His worm not only made unauthorized modifications to the iPhones of innocent victims, requiring a fiddly repair, but it also provided the template for the more dangerous Duh worm, which attempts to convert iPhones into a botnet and steal financial information.
From Hacker to Developer
The decision to hire Towns as an app developer has sparked a debate within the tech community. Some argue that his skills in understanding the iPhone’s operating system could be valuable in developing robust and secure applications. Others believe that rewarding someone who has caused significant disruption and potential harm sets a dangerous precedent.
Security experts have voiced their concerns, suggesting that Towns should have faced legal consequences for his actions rather than being rewarded with a job. The fact that he admitted to creating and spreading the worm, which had the potential to cause significant harm, raises questions about the message this hiring decision sends.
On the other hand, there is hope that Towns has turned over a new leaf and will channel his talents into creating innovative and useful applications for the iPhone. The tech industry has seen similar cases where former hackers have used their skills for positive contributions, and Towns could follow this path.
Let’s hope that Ashley Towns has decided to stop writing viruses for the iPhone and instead puts his efforts into developing some cool iPhone Apps. His new role at Mogeneration could be an opportunity for him to make amends and contribute positively to the tech community.
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