Apple's latest hire proves privacy is more important than ever

If you've followed iOS security news over the years, there's a distinct chance you've heard of Jonathan Zdziarski. He isn't always flawless, but he has a knack for both finding Apple device exploits (he even worked on early jailbreaks) and conducting forensics. And Apple has heard of him too, apparently. Zdziarski has confirmed that he's joining Apple, taking up a position inside the company's Security Engineering and Architecture team. Just what he'll do when he's there isn't apparent, but he describes this as a "matter of conscience" move where he'll defend privacy with a like-minded team.

It's easy to look at this through a cynical lens. Is Apple hiring Zdziarski to keep his very public discoveries under wraps, or to lend extra credibility to its security team with a high-profile name? Even if either of those are true, it's still an important move. It reflects the company's increasing focus on privacy, both as a selling point and as a guiding principle. Don't be surprised if future iOS devices (and likely Macs) become tougher to crack, even for experts who know the platform inside out.