To develop an application for iOS devices one should first obtain a provisioning profile by joining the iPhone Developer Program (which costs $99). However, some simple tricks can be used to build self signed applications using Xcode, that can be installed on Jailbroken devices. The steps provided below explains the detailed procedure to build ipa files without developer certificate for Jailbroken devices. This is tested on Mountain Lion 10.8, Xcode 4.5 and iOS 6 SDK.
Steps to build ipa file using Xcode:
1. Create a self signed code signing certificate.
On Mac OS X, go to Keychain Access -> Certificate Assistant -> Create a Certificate. It opens the certificate assistant window. Enter name (in my case it is securitylearn.net) and select certificate type as Code signing. Check let me override defaults option. Hit continue until it creates the certificate.
After creation of the certificate, the keychain looks as shown in the image below.
2. Copy /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/iPhoneOS.platform/Info.plist to desktop. Edit the plist file and replace all occurrences of XCiPhoneOSCodeSignContext by XCCodeSignContext (3 places – defaultproperties, runtimerequirements, overrideproperties).
Before modification:
After modification:
3. Copy the modified Info.plist file to /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/iPhoneOS.platform/ directory and replace the existing file.
4. Close and Restart the XCode.
5. Create your project in the XCode and in the project target settings choose the certificate created in step 1 as the code signing identity. Project target settings are shown below.
6. Build the project for iOS device (Project->Build).
7. Build creates the .app file in the build/Debug-iphoneos folder.
Default location for .app file is -
/Users/[user name]/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/[your app]/Build/Products/Debug-iphoneos/
8. Create a folder named Payload and copy the .app file into it.
9. Archive the Payload folder. It creates Payload.zip.
10. Rename the Payload.zip to [app name].ipa. We have successfully created the ipa file without developer certificate and this can be installed on a jailbroken device using iPhone configuration utility.
This comes handy for pentesters as well, if they want to create vulnerable demo apps.
Update on 16-Feb-2013: To install self signed ipa on iOS 6 devices, (Thanks to Leo for sharing this info)
1. Go to Cydia->Manage and add http://gdeluxe.com/repo as a source.
2. Download and install AppSync for iOS 6.x from Cydia.
3. Now you can install the ipa file using the iPhone configuration utility.
eliprodigy
January 15, 2013 at 2:06 pm
this not work i’m getting this error all time when i try to compily
No provisioned iOS devices are available with a compatible iOS version. Connect an iOS device with a recent enough version of iOS to run your application or choose an iOS simulator as the destination.
satishb3
January 15, 2013 at 2:52 pm
Did you hit build & run menu or just build menu?
eliprodigy
January 15, 2013 at 3:10 pm
You beat me i come to edit my commant because it’s worked
many thanks !!
p.s
do you know why i’m getting this msg when i’m trying to start the build from the button in the left corner
(emulator works but ios device give me this error above)
Moto
January 22, 2013 at 8:20 pm
Thanks for the guide I have been looking for a way for a day or two now. For some reason your images are not loading in FireFox… will try in another browser.
Moto
January 22, 2013 at 8:21 pm
N/M after I hit submit the images loaded… strange.
satishb3
January 22, 2013 at 9:37 pm
It might be an issue with caching plugin. I will look into it. Thanks.
Jesús
February 6, 2013 at 10:23 pm
Hello¡ I’ve followed the steps and, when i’ve builded the project i don’t have the folder Debug-iphoneos. I’ve only Debug-iphonesimulator and Release-iphonesimulator.
Is necessary to make a build for achieving?
Thank you in advance
satishb3
February 7, 2013 at 6:52 am
Build the app for device not for the simulator. Then you will see iPhoneos folder.
vince
February 9, 2013 at 3:50 am
I did all the steps but when i go to iphone config tool to add/install the app it wont install. it gives me a signing error
i have iphone 4 xcode 4.6 ios 6.1
satishb3
February 9, 2013 at 6:57 am
Is ur phone jailbroken?
vince
February 9, 2013 at 3:02 pm
Yes it is
satishb3
February 10, 2013 at 5:38 am
strange. Try this, from terminal run the below code sign command to sign the binary with the self created cert.
codesign -fs “your Cert’ binaryfile
After signing, convert the binary file to ipa file.
vince
February 10, 2013 at 7:00 am
so i would just open Terminal and type the code
codesign -fs “myCerttitle” binaryfile
and after doing that i click build in xocde to make it a .app then do the payload zip and rename thing?
satishb3
February 10, 2013 at 8:01 am
Thats wrong.
Build .app file (ex:abc.app)
Now copy the .app folder to desktop
Inside .app file there is executable file (ex:abc) . We need to sign this executable binary.
From terminal move to desktop, type
codesign -fs “securitylearn” abc.app\abc
(if ur cert name is not securitylearn change it accordingly).
Then copy the .app into payload folder and create ipa.
vince
February 10, 2013 at 7:35 am
So i retried this tutorial again and the exact error it get from iphone config utility is “The identity used to sign the executeable is no longer valid”
vince
February 11, 2013 at 2:00 pm
So it seems i can install apps on my old ipad1 running iOS 5.0. but when i try to add apps to my iphone 4 with ios 6.1 untethered jailbreak with evasion they wont sign. Ive tried the way in this tutorial, ive tried with ifunbox, and ive tried using installipa from cydia
satishb3
February 14, 2013 at 5:21 pm
I will check out and update you if I find anything.
Leo
February 15, 2013 at 12:43 pm
I got the same error
“The identity used to sign the executable is no longer valid”
iPhone5 with iOS 6.1 evasion jailbreak.
hope u could figure out the solution for this….. waiting for your good news.
Leo
February 15, 2013 at 10:23 pm
just found the solution.
we need to install app sync for ios 6.x
then should be able to install self developed app.
satishb3
February 16, 2013 at 5:05 am
you are awesome. Thank you. I will update the post.
Jasmin
February 19, 2013 at 6:22 pm
Thank you so much, worked like a charm !
Daniel Avram
February 19, 2013 at 9:16 pm
You my friend are a life saver. A billion thanks!
Jasmin
February 20, 2013 at 11:49 am
I am not getting what to do with that iOS6 device..please tell me step by step.
Thank you !
satishb3
February 21, 2013 at 10:08 pm
Updated steps for ios 6. Checkout
Jonathan
February 21, 2013 at 10:27 am
I followed your steps from start to finish twice, and both times I am unable to install the IPA using iPhone Configuration Utility, or other methods such as AppCake. I get the following error: is not a valid mobile application. http://puu.sh/25YnA Any idea?
Jonathan
February 21, 2013 at 1:52 pm
I ended up documenting everything I did to get it working. I’m not sure specifically what action it was that got it working however. There were quite a few steps. http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/82896/how-to-compile-xcode-4-6-project-without-provisioning-profile-then-run-it-on-ja/
satishb3
February 21, 2013 at 10:07 pm
I am not sure why you got that strange error. The above steps worked for me and for few others too.
Sun Vul
March 5, 2013 at 6:47 am
I am trying to install my app on JB iPhone 3gs ios6.1.2 and I keep getting this error “This application does not support this device’s CPU type.”. I did setup the supporting architecture to armv6 as mentioned in other posts on StackOverflow – No luck. What could I be doing wrong.
satishb3
March 5, 2013 at 9:07 am
May be edit the info.plist file and change the default build options. That might help.
Fred
April 10, 2013 at 1:46 am
GOD I LOVE YOU GUYS…TOOK AGES BUT I DID IT…
Felix
May 5, 2013 at 12:31 am
I follow the steps to the letter and worked perfectly to the first try.
Thankssss.
Ipad4/Mini, iOS 6.1.2 jailbroken.
gdeluxe repo looks that it is dead, but AppSync for 5+ in Cydia woks OK.