In the case of spyware, once a device is unlocked, the perpetrator can deploy further software to secure remote access to the device's data and functions.
They are typically a combination of configuration changes and a 'hack' of core elements of the operating system to run modified code. Rooting and jailbreaking both remove the security controls embedded in Android or iOS operating systems. Many jailbreak approaches require the phone to be connected to a computer each time it's turned on (referred to as a ' tethered jailbreak'). Similarly, a jailbreak can be deployed on Apple devices to allow the installation of apps not available on the Apple App Store, or to unlock the phone for use on alternative cellular networks.
Usually, rooting on an Android device is done by the user to install applications and games from non-supported app stores, or re-enable a functionality that was disabled by the manufacturer. The French President is among world leaders whose phone numbers have appeared in a leaked database of potential hacking targets.
