iPhone locking code cracked, and it is legal!

CNN reports that a group of anonymous hackers has cracked the code that locks iPhones into the AT&T wireless system (mobile network in this side of the Atlantic). Following CNN, when one of the hackers, only identified as Liu, was “asked if he thought modifying the iPhone was legal, he said "That's a very good question. I truly believe it is."”, and, although law is not a matter of faith (churches are for that), it seem very very likely that he is right. As reported in November 2006, the US Library of Congress's Copyright Office approved its Exemption to Prohibition on Circumvention of Copyright Protection Systems for Access Control Technologies, which stated that

Persons making noninfringing uses of the following six classes of works will not be subject to the prohibition against circumventing access controls (17 U.S.C. § 1201(a)(1)) during the next three years.

And its number 5 said

Computer programs in the form of firmware that enable wireless telephone handsets to connect to a wireless telephone communication network, when circumvention is accomplished for the sole purpose of lawfully connecting to a wireless telephone communication network.

The software will be available at iPhone.Sim.Free any time soon, if you can get your hands on an iPhone and not get entangled into the two years contract with AT&T.