Access iOS filesystem without jailbreak?

Question

I would like to write/use an open source script that can access iOS filesystem (non-jailbroken). On a Jailbroken device, i use ssh/scp to access, transfer data from the device. Intent is to copy some part of the iOS filesystem (say /var/mobile/Applications/xxx-xxxx/Documents) to a Mac, from a non-Jailbroken device, using some script. I see that tools like iFunBox is able to do it. Would like to know it manages to do so.

I came across mobiledevice.h but could not really understand how to use it.

Also, would prefer getting this done over USB.. for a jailbroken device, i use tcprelay.py for doing the usb tunneling. Is there something i can use for a non jailbroken device?

Answer 1

You can install the ifuse tool, which is hosted here: https://github.com/libimobiledevice/ifuse

In order to compile this tool, you will need the a working set of Gnu-tools (make, libtool, etc).

#Don't worry - clang is still default
sudo port install gcc48 

NB: Update your .bash_profile (or similar) to include the following:

#Important - this is where your compiled libs will get installed to, so we need this
export PKG_CONFIG_PATH=/usr/local/lib/pkgconfig/** 

The rest of this process should take a few minutes

Install fuse4x

sudo port install fuse4x

Build the dependencies:

Check out: https://github.com/libimobiledevice/libplist, cd into the checkout, and run:

./autogen.sh
./configure
make
sudo make install

Check out: https://github.com/libimobiledevice/libusbmuxd, cd into the checkout, and run:

./autogen.sh
./configure
make
sudo make install

Check out: https://github.com/libimobiledevice/libimobiledevice, cd into the checkout, and run:

./autogen.sh
./configure
make
sudo make install

(If you're on Linux you'll also need to install usbmuxd, after building libusbmuxd and libimobiledevice. . otherwise, for Windows and OSX . . . )

Now build iFuse:

Check out: https://github.com/libimobiledevice/ifuse

./autogen.sh
./configure
make
sudo make install

To use ifuse to access your app's documents directory:

Make a mount directory:

sudo mkdir -p /Volumes/myapp.app

Now mount the app's dir:

ifuse --container <appid> /Volumes/abced.app

Where app id is the name what's displayed in the bundle identifier . . example:

 ifuse --container mycompany.ABCED.com /Volumes/abced.app/

(Refer to the attached pic)