Apple Appeals Corellium Copyright Lawsuit Loss After Settling Other Claims

Back in December, Apple lost a copyright lawsuit against security research company Corellium, and today, Apple filed an appeal in that case, reports Reuters.

corellium
The judge in the copyright case determined that Corellium was operating under fair use terms and that its use of iOS was permissible, throwing out several of Apple's claims. For those unfamiliar with Corellium, the software is designed to replicate iOS exactly to allow security researchers to find bugs and vulnerabilities.

Apple claimed that Corellium illegally copied the iOS operating system and applications that run on the iPhone and iPad, and that it had violated the Digital Millennium Copyright Act by circumventing Apple's security measures.

Corellium argued that its software helps Apple by making it easier for security researchers to find flaws. Corellium also said that Apple was using its lawsuit to "crack down on jailbreaking" and that Apple's code in the product was fair use, which the judge agreed with.

Apple is appealing the verdict in this specific copyright lawsuit, which is separate from the settlement that Apple and Corellium reached earlier this month.

Apple and Corellium on August 10 settled a federal lawsuit that would have gone to trial on August 16, and this settlement was related to the DCMA claims. The terms of the settlement were confidential, and so far, Corellium is still selling its virtual iOS platform.

According to Reuters, security researchers are surprised that Apple has opted to revive its legal battle with Corellium after the settlement terms, and after Apple's Craig Federighi said that security researchers would serve as a check on its plans to scan iPhones and iPads for CSAM to make sure the scanning is limited to CSAM. Security researchers will be able to confirm that the database of images used to match CSAM content on user devices only consists of content from agencies like the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

Earlier today, Corellium said that it was launching an "Open Security Initiative" aimed at rewarding independent public research into mobile devices. Corellium's first focus is Apple's CSAM system and the company has called on security researchers to submit projects designed to validate "any security and privacy claims" from any mobile software vendor. Qualifying submissions will receive up to $5,000.

We applaud Apple's commitment to holding itself accountable by third-party researchers. We believe our platform is uniquely capable of supporting researchers in that effort. Our "jailbroken" virtual devices do not make use of any exploits, and instead rely on our unique hypervisor technology. This allows us to provide rooted virtual devices for dynamic security analysis almost as soon as a new version of iOS is released. In addition, our platform provides tools and capabilities not readily available with physical devices.

It's possible that Apple's decision to revive the Corellium lawsuit is related to Corellium's announcement earlier today. In a statement, Corellium Chief Executive Amanda Gordon told Reuters that "enough is enough." "Apple can't pretend to hold itself accountable to the security research community while simultaneously trying to make that research illegal," she said.

Popular Stories

iOS 26 Feature

iOS 26.1 to iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Wednesday October 1, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
iOS 26 was released last month, but the software train never stops, and iOS 26.1 beta testing is already underway. So far, iOS 26.1 makes both Apple Intelligence and Live Translation on compatible AirPods available in additional languages, and it includes some other minor changes across Apple Music, Calendar, Photos, and Safari. More features and changes will follow in future versions,...
iPhone 17 vs Air and Pros Feature

New iPhones See 'Stronger Than Expected' Demand With One Exception

Thursday October 2, 2025 7:26 am PDT by
Nearly two weeks after the iPhone 17 series launched, analysts at investment banking firm Morgan Stanley said demand for the devices has been "modestly stronger than we originally expected," based on a combination of extended shipping estimates on Apple's online store and information it gathered from Apple's supply chain. There has been strong early demand for the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro,...
space black mbp

Here's Every New Apple Product That Leaked Yesterday

Wednesday October 1, 2025 8:27 am PDT by
A handful of upcoming Apple products leaked yesterday, through a combination of YouTube videos out of Russia and U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) documents that were released, despite Apple's confidentiality requests. The leaked products include an iPad Pro with an M5 chip, as well as updated MacBook Pro and Apple Vision Pro models. All of these devices had already been rumored...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro teal 1

Apple's iPhone Driver's License Feature Now Available in 11 U.S. States

Tuesday September 30, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Apple recently revealed that the feature would soon be available in North Dakota, and starting today, the feature has officially gone...
Tim Cook Rainbow

Apple Event in October? Here's What to Expect

Monday September 29, 2025 9:31 am PDT by
Apple's annual iPhone event is in the rearview mirror, but rumors suggest the company plans to release a handful of additional products before the year ends. Will there be another Apple event this October? We discuss the possibility below. Apple in October Apple's most recent October events were in 2021 and 2023. In 2022 and 2024, Apple did not host an October event. Instead, it...
fcc vision pro leak

FCC Accidentally Leaks Apple's Next Vision Pro

Tuesday September 30, 2025 3:48 pm PDT by
The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has seemingly confirmed Apple's work on an updated version of the Vision Pro headset. One of several documents the FCC shared today references an Apple-designed "Head Mounted Device" with a model number of A3416. An included image confirms the device is a Vision Pro. The FCC's uploads are transmission tests, SAR test reports, and...
macbook pro prime day 2025

FCC Leaks Upcoming MacBook Pro and More

Tuesday September 30, 2025 1:58 pm PDT by
The United States Federal Communications Commission has confirmed Apple's work on a new version of the MacBook Pro and several other products, leaking details on the devices ahead of launch. The FCC published documents that reference model numbers that do not correspond with existing devices. A3434, for example, references an unreleased MacBook Pro, while other numbers are likely for...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

Apple's 2025 Product Roadmap: What's Still Coming

Wednesday October 1, 2025 3:56 pm PDT by
Apple's two big yearly events, WWDC and the iPhone launch, are done and over with, but there are still some new products that we're expecting to see before the end of the year. Apple TV The Apple TV hasn't been updated since 2022, so it's due for a refresh. It doesn't look like Apple is going to change the design of its set-top box, but we can expect a faster chip Apple code suggests...
maxresdefault

New iPad Pro With M5 Chip Leaked in Unboxing Video

Tuesday September 30, 2025 8:39 am PDT by
An apparent unboxing video for an unannounced iPad Pro with the M5 chip was uploaded to YouTube today by Russian channel Wylsacom. The same YouTube account leaked the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip before it was announced by Apple last year, so this is likely a legitimate leak. Based on the box shown in the video, this appears to be a 13-inch iPad Pro with an M5 chip, 256GB of...
iOS 26 Everything New Feature

26 Hidden iOS 26 Tricks to Change How You Use Your iPhone

Wednesday October 1, 2025 9:16 am PDT by
Apple released iOS 26 in mid-September, bringing a range of new features and changes to iPhones across the globe. But not all of the included improvements have been showcased with Apple's typical fanfare, and many are likely to have been overlooked. Below, we've highlighted 26 lesser known additions and enhancements that could potentially change how you use your iPhone on a daily basis. Got...

Top Rated Comments

ian87w Avatar
54 months ago

Apple, was, is, and will always be the king of secrecy.
And the king of secrecy is trying to be the moral police as well.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Wildkraut Avatar
54 months ago
They fears that Corellium finds more (yet undiscovered) in their CSAM mass surveillance scanning.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
54 months ago
How is Apple staying committed?

Clearly shows Apple hates it when their platform gets the extra attention and when their security is being looked at.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Shirasaki Avatar
54 months ago
Apple really hates people peeking into their iOS dirty little secrets and ugly inside heh. ? Guess this is also part of the reason they don’t like jailbreak. Given general iOS software quality downgrade YOY, even if this seems only for copyright on the surface, those Apple execs prolly still reeling from other defeats.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ian87w Avatar
54 months ago
Okay Apple, your actions are becoming a joke now. You just talked high and mighyt about allowing security researchers to audit you, but then went lawsuit happy when they are trying to.

iOS15 is definitely a no go then for me. I have disabled auto download of ios update on my iPhone. My old Mac mini will be staying on Catalina.

This is really sad news for me, as I was actually someone who was starting to warm up to the Apple ecosystem.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
54 months ago
So do you want security researchers auditing your efforts or not Apple?

Pick a side
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)