iOS File Tweak Tool (PoC)

A simple iOS application that attempts to apply various UI and sound tweaks by zeroing out the first page of specific system files. This project is a Proof of Concept and demonstrates the use of a file-zeroing technique.

⚠️ WARNING: EXPERIMENTAL SOFTWARE ⚠️ This tool modifies system files. While the targeted files are generally for UI or sound resources, any modification to system files carries risk.

• Use exclusively on a test device.
• Incorrect use or targeting the wrong files could lead to system instability, visual glitches, or in worst-case scenarios, require a device restore.
• Most tweaks require a manual respring or reboot for changes to take effect.
• The effectiveness of these tweaks is highly dependent on the iOS version and device. They may not work as expected or at all on patched/newer iOS versions.
• Files on the Sealed System Volume (SSV) may be restored by the OS upon reboot.

📸 IMPORTANT NOTE ON CAMERA SHUTTER SOUNDS 📸

• In some regions, such as South Korea and Japan, mobile phones are commonly manufactured or configured to always produce a camera shutter sound. This is typically due to industry standards, carrier requirements, or strong societal expectations aimed at preventing unauthorized photography.
• While this tool provides the technical means to attempt to silence these sounds by modifying system files, users should be aware of the following:
  • The effectiveness of this tweak may be limited in regions where OS-level or hardware-level enforcements for shutter sounds exist.
  • Modifying your device to bypass these culturally or industry-expected norms may be viewed negatively or have social implications depending on your location and context.
• Users are solely responsible for understanding the conventions and expectations regarding camera usage in their region.
• This feature is provided for experimental purposes on test devices.

Features

• Apply various UI tweaks (e.g., hide dock, transparent UI elements).
• Apply sound tweaks (e.g., silence camera shutter, lock sound, keyboard clicks).
• Grouped list of tweaks by category.
• "Apply All" option for file-zeroing tweaks.
• Activity log to see the status of operations.

How It Works

The application uses a C-based exploit (based on the VM_BEHAVIOR_ZERO_WIRED_PAGES technique) to zero out the first page (typically 16KB) of targeted system files.

• It maps a read-only file into memory.
• Marks the memory entry with VM_BEHAVIOR_ZERO_WIRED_PAGES.
• Locks the page using mlock().
• Deallocates the memory mapping, causing the kernel to zero out the underlying physical page backing that part of the file. (The effectiveness and precise low-level mechanics can vary by OS version and kernel mitigations.)

Requirements

• An iOS device.
• An iOS version where the underlying file-zeroing technique is effective (e.g., tested below iOS 18.4, but specific exploit viability can vary).
• Xcode to build the project.

Building and Installation

1. Clone the Repository:

   git clone https://github.com/speedyfriend433/mdcX.git
   cd mdcX

2. Open in Xcode: Open the .xcodeproj or .xcworkspace file.
3. Bridging Header: Ensure the Objective-C Bridging Header is correctly set up in Build Settings and includes exploit_poc.h.
4. C Code: The C files (exploit_poc.c and exploit_poc.h) containing the exploit logic must be part of the target's "Compile Sources" build phase.
5. Sign and Build: Configure your bundle identifier and signing credentials in Xcode.
6. Create IPA: Build the project and export the IPA.
7. Install: Transfer the IPA to your device and install it using a sideloading utility like Sideloadly, AltStore, or if compatible, TrollStore.

Usage

1. Launch the app.
2. Browse the list of available tweaks, grouped by category.
3. Tap on a tweak's hammer icon (🔨) to apply it.
4. Alternatively, use the "Apply All" button in the toolbar to attempt all listed file-zeroing tweaks.
5. Observe the status messages and the activity log for results.
6. Manually respring or reboot your device to see if the tweaks have taken effect.

Disclaimer

This software is provided "as-is" without warranty of any kind. The authors or contributors are not responsible for any damage, data loss, or legal repercussions that may occur from its use. Use at your own risk. This tool is intended for educational and experimental purposes on test devices, in compliance with local laws.

Credits

• @Google Project Zero - Thanks for the insane discovery!

• @34306 : Thanks for the basic knowledge explanations!

• @Mattycbtw : Thanks for the additional util paths!

• @sH1222J : Thanks for the readme.md correction report!

• @AppinstalleriOS & @GeoSn0w : Thanks for the Swift version of PoC Code!

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.