Apple has dropped a controversial intellectual property lawsuit against virtualization software maker Corelium, days before the case was set to go to trial.
Corelium’s software technology enables users to create virtual iOS devices within a browser, allowing security researchers to more easily test for bugs and exploits.
The same virtualization technology allows tech journalists to search for stories in App Store security issues or run disposable instances of Signal.
Apple sued in August 2019, alleging that Corelium was copying its operating system without permission.
Background Apple-Corellium lawsuit raises concern among security research community
Corelium — which had been selling its technology shortly before the lawsuit — said its software was comparable to popular desktop virtualization tools from VMWare and Virtual Box.
Corelium strongly disputes Apple’s claims of copyright infringement, as previously reported, suggesting that Apple launched its legal offensive in 2018 following its attempt to acquire Corelium.
sealed settlement
The action raised concerns in the security community that it could affect security research, with others viewing the lawsuit as an example of Apple’s tendency to act as a control freak.
Part of Apple’s case hinged on claims that Corelium bypassed Apple’s safeguards in violation of the controversial Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).
Last December, US District Judge Rodney Smit dismissed Apple’s copyright infringement claims while moving the DMCA strand of his lawsuit forward despite describing Apple’s legal protests as “outrageous, if not outrageous”. was allowed.
Read more Apple Security News
The case was to be heard in a federal court in Florida from next week (August 16), but the matter has reportedly been settled. “The terms of the settlement were confidential,” The Washington Post reports.
The Daily Swig contacted Corelium for comment. We will update this story as and when we get an answer.
Back in June, security research firms included Bishop Fox and McAfee, campaigning “against the use of Section 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) to suppress tools used for software and good faith cybersecurity research”. Joined with EFF to get started.
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