HMD patches bootloader unlock exploit, enthusiasts reply with petition

HMD’s new update to its Nokia devices has closed off the vulnerability point for the unofficial unlocking of Nokia bootloaders. 

We’ve had a lot to say about HMD’s stance on community support for its device. The company, after its first twelve months in the industry, had failed to provide kernel sources for any of its devices, leading to a media campaign by the enthusiast community. Since then, HMD has released kernel sources for a few of its devices, but it's still been less than straightforward about its plans for allowing bootloader unlocks.

While the company may not have made provisions for bootloader unlocks, a user on XDA-Developers discovered a loophole that allowed for the unofficial unlocking of some Nokia devices. Not anymore, though, as that vulnerability has now been patched after HMD changed the unlocking algorithm with a new update.

Should you care about this? Probably not. Bootloader unlocks have become increasingly unnecessary over the past few years, and only a select few OEMs allow it—Huawei recently ended support, even. There’s also the fact that Nokia devices boast of some of the best official software support in the world. That said, it’s always nice to have complete control of your device, and that will no longer be possible with Nokia devices. 

Enthusiasts have created a petition—which you can sign here—requesting for bootloader unlock support. While we can't say how effective it will be, we can only hope it gets HMD's attention.