This Kerala youth crackssecure' Apple lock

[email protected] (News Network)
December 3, 2016

Kochi, Dec 3: Hemanth Joseph, an engineering student, has found out a route to bypass Apple's highly secure activation lock, which allows the owner to prevent others from using the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch or Apple Watch once it is stolen or lost.

Kerala
"I found out a way to bypass the lock screen when somebody tries to open any of devices, locked by the owner using 'Find iPhone' app," said Joseph, a final-year mechanical engineering student at Amal Jyothi College of Engineering, Kanjirappally.

What Joseph used was the security lapse in the input fields for name, username and password. "There was no character limit in those input fields. No one will set a Wi-Fi name with a 10,000-letter name or a password with 10,000 letters so a character limit is important for fixing this bug," Joseph wrote in his blog, after his friends prompted him to reveal how he did it.

It all started with Joseph buying a used iPad from eBay for his friend and finding out that it was locked by the previous owner. While playing around with the 'bricked' tablet, he found out that it doesn't have a character limit for input fields for the verification before connecting to the 'another Wi-Fi network' option. "We can enter as many characters as we like to that field. Perfect for creating an OverFlow," he wrote in his blog.

Joseph, who calls himself a 'security researcher', ventured into the world of 'bug hunting' at a relatively young age - while studying for plus two. Few months ago, he won US$ 7,500 (Rs 5 lakh) from Google for pointing out a bug in its Cloud platform. Similar feats won him acknowledgements from more than 45 companies, which include AT&T, Pebble, Twitter and Microsoft. This time, Apple has written to him saying they are investigating the issue.

Comments

Ahmed K. C.
 - 
Saturday, 3 Dec 2016

Brilliant! No doubt we have good brains.
It has been 43 years since the first mobile phone invented by Motorola, I don't think we indians have our own full fledged mobile manufacturing unit in India at all. All assembled phone parts are imported from China.

Ansari
 - 
Saturday, 3 Dec 2016

Best Of luck My INDIAN Brother ....

For Viren , this is an IT Crusade i think

Keep it up Joseph

Jeevan Jyothi
 - 
Saturday, 3 Dec 2016

why always talent like this is coming from kerala.

Laxman
 - 
Saturday, 3 Dec 2016

Brilliant!Congratulations! Ideal engineering student,need of the hour,we need more from such people who are capable of skill development.

Smrithi
 - 
Saturday, 3 Dec 2016

So iOS too is insecure ... wonder why the BJP is pushing for demonetization when a card can be hacked in 6 seconds ... bunch of hypocrites and deshdrohis ... may the Almighty save our India ... Jai Hind ...

Priyanka
 - 
Saturday, 3 Dec 2016

This genius will surely get job offer from top IT companies.

Mahesh
 - 
Saturday, 3 Dec 2016

Brilliant...well done Joseph...that's true IT talent

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News Network
December 16,2025

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Melkar (Bantwal): The 9th Annual Day celebration of SMR Public School, titled “EXCELLENTIA”, was held on December 15 with great enthusiasm and dignity, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s journey towards academic excellence and holistic development.

The programme was inaugurated by Dr. U. T. Iftikar Ali. The chief guests were Dr. Akhtar Hussain, Mr. P. Moosabba Beary, Mr. Zakaria Jokattre, and Dr. T. M. Abdul Rahuf—whose inspiring addresses motivated the students and appreciated the school’s contributions to education.

Mr. Abdul Nasir, Mr. Ibrahim Gadiyar, Mr. Razak Golthamajal, Mr. Sali Koya, Mr. Arshad Hussain, Mr. Ismail Balanoor, Mr. Feroz Bawa, Mr. Sahul Hameed, Mr. Abubakkar, Mr. Hameed K. Mani, Mr. Abdul Majeed (Principal, Melkar Women’s College), and Mr. Abdul Lathief (Former Principal, Melkar Women’s College) were the guests of honour.

The Annual Report was presented by the Headmistress, Ms. Fathimathul Zaheera, highlighting the school’s achievements and progress during the academic year. The Presidential Address was delivered by the Chairman of SMR Public School, Dr. Haji S. M. Rasheed, who emphasised the vital role of education in shaping students’ futures and stressed the importance of discipline, dedication, and consistent effort in achieving 100 per cent academic results.

Secretary of SMR Public School, Mr. Rifath Ahmed, and PTA President, Mr. Sandeep Kumar, were also present on the occasion.

The Annual Day celebration showcased the collective efforts of students and teachers and reaffirmed the school’s commitment to quality education and all-round development. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to all dignitaries, parents, and well-wishers for their support. The 9th Annual Day—EXCELLENTIA—was a memorable and successful event, leaving a lasting impression on everyone present. 

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News Network
December 17,2025

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Melkar, Dec 17: The 17th Annual Day and Graduation Ceremony of Melkar Women’s PU and Degree College, themed “Fusion-2K25,” was celebrated with dignity and enthusiasm, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s academic journey. The programme reflected the college’s steadfast commitment to academic excellence, character building, and the holistic development of students.

The event was inaugurated by Mr. Asif Mohammed, whose presence greatly enriched the occasion. The celebration was further graced by the chief guests Mr. P. B. Ahmed Mudassir and Mr. Nissar Fakeer Mohammed, along with the distinguished guests of honour Mr. B. A. Nazeer and Mr. Ibrahim Gadiyar. In their inspiring addresses, the guests encouraged the graduating students and appreciated the dedicated efforts of the management, faculty, and students.

The annual report was presented by the Principal, Mr. Abdul Majeed S, highlighting the institution’s academic progress, notable achievements, and extracurricular accomplishments during the academic year.

The presidential address was delivered by the esteemed Chairman of Melkar Women’s PU and Degree College, Dr. Haji S. M. Rasheed, who emphasized the vital role of education in empowering women and shaping responsible citizens. He also stressed the importance of discipline, dedication, and perseverance in achieving success.

Cultural programmes and academic recognitions formed an integral part of the celebration, showcasing the talents and achievements of the students. The graduation ceremony was a proud moment for the outgoing students as they were formally conferred degrees and wished success in their future endeavours.

Ms. Mashmooma Fathima served as the Master of Ceremonies. The welcome address was delivered by Ms. Fathima Nida, and the programme concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Ms. Ayisha Suhana.

The event successfully achieved its objectives and was highly appreciated by the guests and attendees.

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News Network
December 7,2025

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Mangaluru, Dec 7: A rare bamboo shrimp has been rediscovered on mainland India more than 70 years after it was last reported, confirming for the first time the presence of Atyopsis spinipes in the country. The find was made by researchers from the Centre for Climate Change Studies at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, during surveys in Karnataka and Odisha.

The team — shrimp expert Dr S Prakash, PhD scholar K Kunjulakshmi, and Mangaluru-based researcher Maclean Antony Santos — combined field surveys, ecological assessments and DNA analysis to identify the elusive species. Their findings, published in Zootaxa, resolve decades of taxonomic confusion stemming from a 1951 report that misidentified the species as Atyopsis moluccensis without strong evidence.

The shrimp has now been confirmed at two locations: the Mulki–Pavanje estuary near Mangaluru and the Kuakhai River in Bhubaneswar. Historical specimens from the Andaman Islands, previously labelled as A. moluccensis, were also found to be misidentified and actually belong to A. spinipes.

The rediscovery began after an aquarium hobbyist in Odisha spotted a shrimp in 2022, prompting systematic surveys across Udupi, Karwar and Mangaluru. Four female specimens were collected in Mulki and one in Odisha, all genetically matching.

Researchers warn the species may exist in very small, vulnerable populations as freshwater habitats face increasing pressure from pollution, sand mining and infrastructure development. All verified specimens have been deposited with the Zoological Survey of India for future reference.

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